The power of discourse
"It was baffling to so many of them that they could do all of these extremely hard things that so many other people could never even think of doing. Yet they couldn't quit smoking.”
—Psychiatrist Judson Brewer
BRAIN WAVES
Talk it out. There’s value in listening to those who don’t agree with us, even if it’s just to better understand our own thinking. In a new study, researchers asked people about their opinions on the immigration policy known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Then the volunteers watched two outside actors debate the topic. Turns out, watching the conversations gave people the opportunity to consider different opinions, and that helped deepen their own thinking on the matter. “Probing questions...encouraged a participant to examine and clarify for themselves their own position, potentially enriching it,” the study’s abstract explained. “The findings thus suggest observed dialog as a promising practical approach in promoting deeper thinking.”
Let's get ethical. Is artificial intelligence ethical? There’s a new way to think about that question. A recent study looked at an AI-based ethical advisor, asking it questions based on some of the ethical dilemmas published in the New York Times column, "The Ethicist.” (For example: should I tell a spouse about a secret trust fund?) Researchers compared the AI’s suggestions to advice given by “The Ethicist” author, Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah (a human and past guest of Hidden Brain). The researchers asked study volunteers to share whether they found the advice to be useful. These were either random volunteers, Wharton MBA students, or ethical decision-making experts. And it turned out, the AI’s advice was up to par with the human’s. “Our findings revealed no significant difference in the perceived value of the advice between human-generated ethical advice and AI-generated ethical advice,” the study reported. All of this begs the question: what are the ethics of asking AI to solve our ethical dilemmas? And to whom should we pose that question?
Get smart. From the time we’re schoolchildren, we are ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
The Curious Science of Cravings: We’ve all had those days when all we want is a little treat. Maybe it’s a bag of chips, an ice cream sundae or a glass of wine. But sometimes, these desires become all-consuming. This week on the show, psychiatrist Judson Brewer helps us understand the science of cravings, and how we should respond to them.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Nicole George O’Brien’s Story: Nicole had a seizure while driving to work. When she woke up in the hospital, she learned about an incredible act of courage by another driver on the road.
Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
MIND GAMES
How can 8 + 8 = 4?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
A tree doubled in height each year until it reached its maximum height over the course of ten years. How many years did it take for the tree to reach half its maximum height?
Answer: Nine years
A MOMENT OF JOY
Happy Tax Day to those who celebrate.
Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.