Podcasts about ignorance how it drives science

One of the paradoxes of science is that it seeks objectively true understanding of the world, but its methodology is driven by ignorance, failure, and uncertainty. Some phenomena we understand pretty well, but interesting research happens at the boundary of what we do and don't know. And there is no foolproof algorithm for moving in the right direction; we need to make conjectures and test them against the world. Biologist Stuart Firestein has been advocating for a better public understanding of the true methods of science, most recently in his new book It Could Be Otherwise: Science In the Age of Uncertainty. Stop piecing your software together. Go to Odoo.com/mindscape to learn more. #ad Mindscape listeners can try StatsKey Pro free for one month with code MINDSCAPE. After that, it's $4.99 per month unless canceled. #ad Blog post with transcript: https://preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/08/17/364-stuart-firestein-on-how-science-relies-on-ignorance-and-failure/ Support Mindscape on Patreon(opens in new tab). Stuart Firestein received his Ph.D. in neurobiology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently Professor of Neuroscience at in the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, and Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Sloan Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation. His research studies cellular mechanisms of signal transduction and olfaction. His previous books include Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is So Successful. Columbia web page Google Scholar publications Amazon author page Wikipedia

“Uncertainty is what tells you that science is reliable. It's the people who are absolutely certain that you have to watch out for.” — Stuart Firestein The physician-scientist Tony Fauci is having a rough week. His newly revealed diary has even disappointed traditional allies at The Atlantic and The New Yorker who see the hitherto liberal saint of the pandemic as both too intimate with power and too certain of his scientific assumptions. Fauci's fellow American scientist, Stuart Firestein, is having a better week. The Columbia neurobiologist has a new book out today, It Could Be Otherwise, which is a manifesto against scientific certainty. It's the certain ones you have to watch out for, Firestein warns about those scientists intoxicated with the certainty of their own doctrines. Science, Firestein argues, requires a blend of hubris and humility. So the great Isaac Newton needed real chutzpah to claim to understand the mind of the creator with only a few equations. The expert is, by definition, riddled by doubt. They should be the most uncertain person in the room. Thus for Firestein, Charles Darwin is a greater scientist than Albert Einstein because Darwin's theory of life is premised on randomness. So will contemporary science appear quaintly medieval in 500 years? Will 26th century man think of Darwin and Einstein like we moderns patronize Aristotle? Probably, Firestein suggests. In his Columbia course on ignorance, he tells his students that getting an A requires getting an F. We should all be so ignorant. Five Takeaways •       Watch Out for the Certain Ones. Firestein won't defend Fauci's certainties, but he explains them: science requires a blend of hubris and humility — without some hubris, nobody would attempt a discipline that is mostly failure, mostly time spent in the dark. What corrupts the blend is a culture that demands the opposite of humility: exams with one right answer instead of ranked possibilities, journalists who need a confident quote, a public that has made science the theology of the twenty-first century. The result is Firestein's paradox of expertise: the real expert is the most uncertain person in the room, because expertise means seeing the holes, the missing data, the failures. Certainty grows with distance from knowledge.•       True Enough. Truth gets a small t only. Borrowing from the Harvard philosopher Catherine Elgin, Firestein describes science as moving from one provisional truth to the next — “true enough,” always improving, never final. His favorite proof is John Maddox, Nature's longest-serving editor, asked how many of the journal's published papers would prove wrong: “Oh, that's easy. All of them.” Not wrong-wrong — unsettled science is not unsound science; it is reliable and it will get better. In science, revision is a victory, which is why Firestein sincerely hopes that in five hundred years our best knowledge will look as quaint as medieval astronomy — which, he notes, was accurate enough for people who weren't launching satellites.•       Two Kinds of Uncertainty. Epistemic uncertainty is what we don't know yet; ontological uncertainty is the irreducible complexity of the universe itself — so complicated it might as well be random. Every answer in the lab raises ten better questions, which is how the more we know, the less we know. And yet we thrive amid the not-knowing: lasers, GPS, and randomized drug trials are all built on uncertainty. Ninety percent of hypertension diagnoses are idiopathic — no known cause — while nine different families of medicine treat it successfully. Even the brain, his own subject, isn't unknowable — we know plenty at every level — but the vertical knowledge, from ion channels to consciousness, may never reduce to a single formula. Multiple explanations, Firestein says, are not a defeat.•       Berlin, Darwin, and the Fox. The book's presiding philosopher is Isaiah Berlin, the great value pluralist: many good answers to any real question, even incommensurable ones — which is emphatically not relativism (the poststructuralists get no comfort here; we still must choose, critically and responsibly). Berlin's hedgehog and fox turn out to describe scientists too, and Firestein wants room for both. His scientific hero, though, is Darwin, whom he ranks above Einstein: the first person to show that tremendous organization and complexity can arise from essentially random events. Sixty-five million years ago, seven minutes of orbital difference and the asteroid misses. Randomness and uncertainty, properly understood, produce diversity and complexity — not chaos.•       When AI Learns to Be Uncertain. AI appears exactly once in the book, a restraint Firestein is proud of: “we hate the bomb, but we love anesthesia,” and it's the use, not the thing, that will decide. Socrates was famously against writing — it did ruin our memories, and libraries were worth it; calculators did ruin long division, and who cares. In the classroom, the smell scientist admits you can no longer smell Claude in an essay — hence his ignorance course's 999-word assignment, harder than the 5,000 words Columbia students write in their sleep. But his sharpest cut is at AI itself: the machines will be valuable to the extent that they are uncertain. When AI learns to weigh possibilities rather than issue single solutions, it will be intelligent — it will be human. A deterministic tick-tock universe is no place for discovery, imagination, or freedom. It could be otherwise. About the Guest Stuart Firestein is a professor of neuroscience at Columbia University, where his laboratory studies the sense of smell, and a member of the Santa Fe Institute. A Guggenheim fellow and elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is So Successful, both translated into more than a dozen languages; he remains an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, where Failure was written. His new book is It Could Be Otherwise: Science in the Age of Uncertainty (Basic Books, August 4, 2026). References: •       It Could Be Otherwise: Science in the Age of Uncertainty by Stuart Firestein (Basic Books, August 4, 2026). Kirkus: “A solid and even stirring defense of science.”•       Ignorance: How It Drives Science by Stuart Firestein — the 2012 book, born of his Columbia course, that made not-knowing respectable.•       The Hedgehog and the Fox by Isaiah Berlin — the essay, and the value pluralism, that give the book its philosophical spine.•       True Enough by Catherine Elgin — the Harvard ph...

What if knowing less could actually make you more? In this riveting conversation, Ben Owden sits down with Dr. Stuart Firestein, former Chair of Columbia University's Biological Sciences, neuroscientist extraordinaire, and author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is Successful. Far from being gloomy topics, Stuart shows us how ignorance and failure are the secret engines of creativity and innovation, both in the lab and in life.In This Episode, We Explore:Why “Not Knowing” Is Your Greatest Superpower – Stuart argues that curiosity lives between what we know and what we don't. Learn how “negative capability” (a willingness to tolerate uncertainty) is the birthplace of every major discovery.How Failure Uncovers Hidden Possibilities – From Marie Curie to Richard Feynman, see why a “failed experiment” can be more valuable than hitting a bull's-eye. (Hint: Nature's top predators in nature only succeed 25% of the time!)The Art of Asking Better Questions – Forget “hypothesis‐driven” experiments: discover why wandering in the dark sometimes, not just under the lamp post, is where the real magic happens.Living with Revision — Why “Total Truth” Doesn't Exist – What Newton, Einstein, and Keats taught Stuart about refining knowledge instead of clinging to “one final answer.”Practical Tips for Embracing Ignorance & Failure Today – From “failing better” to scheduling a daily “dark-room” hour, Stuart shares concrete ways to rewire your mindset—whether you're a scientist, a middle manager, or just someone who wants to do more creative work.Get a copy of Failure: Why Science Is So SuccessfulImportant Links*Join Thrive in the Middle Today!*Book WhyLead to Train Your Teams*Explore Our ServicesSocial Media*Ben Owden's LinkedIn*Ben Owden's Twitter 

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful. That's why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise. Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart Producer: Dan Tierney Mixing: Tony Churnside Editor: Tim Pemberton Commissioning Editor: Dan ClarkeReadings by Rhiannon NeadsContributions across the series from:Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School. Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Antony Gormley - sculptor. Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University. Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know' (2018). Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine. Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism' (2024). Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University. Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Felix Martin - economist and fund manager. Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar. James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University. Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles' (2023). John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer. Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5. Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent. Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know' (2024). Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts. Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge. Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy. Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator. Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)'. Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester. Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France' (2023). Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science' (2012). Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations' and co-founder of ‘The Data City'.

There's a bit of a theme when it comes to Stuart Firestein's books, with titles like “Failure: Why Science Is So Successful,” and “Ignorance: How It Drives Science.”Stuart Firestein is Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University where he and his colleagues study the vertebrate olfactory system. He says his lab is dedicated to answering that fundamental human question: How do I smell?In this episode, Stuart tells us about his lab, what it means to succeed in science, failure vs. error, and if there is a science of serendipity.Episode Quotes:On teaching science When I go to a conference or a meeting, fellow scientists, we don't talk about what we know, we talk about what we don't know, what we'd like to know. And so I thought, well, maybe that's what we should start teaching these kids a little bit of the, what we don't know, because that's really where, the cool science is. That's really where science happens. Failure is interestingI like to see experiments succeed now and again, but they're often more interesting when they don't quite succeed the way you think they would. On experiments & failure An experiment that's not replicated is often conflated with fraud, and those are two different things.Show Links:Resources:Principles of Neural Science (Principles of Neural Science (Kandel)) 5th EditionAntónio Egas Moniz (1874–1955): Lobotomy pioneer and Nobel laureate - PMCGuest Profile:Faculty Profile at Columbia UniversityFaculty Profile at Santa Fe InstituteStuart Firestein's WebsiteStuart Firestein on LinkedInStuart Firestein on TEDTalkHis Work:Stuart Firestein on Google ScholarFirestein LabFailure: Why Science Is So SuccessfulIgnorance: How It Drives Science

Ignorance is usually viewed as a bad thing. However, Prof. Stuart Firestein, former chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and author of "Ignorance: How It Drives Science" and "Failure: Why Science Is So Successful," views ignorance as a stepping stone to knowledge. Tune in to learn how tackling ignorance is the next frontier for you.Our Website: https://www.aimingforthemoon.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiming4moon/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aiming4MoonYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-TwYdfPcWV-V1JvjBXk

00:00 - Introduction 05:31 - Free-for-All (Most feared or most likely dystopian reality we might experience) 33:22 - Main Topic (Does Ignorance = Science?) In episode ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT Mike and Peter are joined by returning guest, and local physicist at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Dr. Kerry Kuehn. On this episode the three sit down to discuss Stuart Firestein's book Ignorance: How It Drives Science. At the end of the episode, Dr. Kuehn and Mike discuss the summer apologetics academy that they co-founded called Blackearth Apologetics. Although the events of 2020 caused them to cancel the 2020 courses, they intend to offer courses again in the summer of 2021. If you are interested, make sure to keep up with them at BlackearthApologetics.com. As always, a big thanks to Dr. Kuehn for joining us and for putting up with Mike! We are grateful to the 1517 podcasting network. If you haven't done so yet, make sure to go check out all of the great podcasts they have to offer, as well as the other wonderful content at 1517.org. If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe, rate, and review us on the following sites and apps: iTunes Stitcher Google Play TuneIn Radio iHeartRadio You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can also follow our Telegram Channel, where we post our new episodes as well as other content that we think you might enjoy. And, of course, share us with a friend or two! If you’d like to contact us we can be reached at podcast@LetTheBirdFly.com, or visit our website at www.LetTheBirdFly.com. Thanks for listening! Attributions for Music used in this Episode: “The Last One” by Jahzzar is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. “Gib laut” by Dirk Becker is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License. “Whistling Down the Road” by Silent Partner. “Not Drunk” by The Joy Drops is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License.

Steve and Corey speak with Stuart Firestein (Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University, specializing in the olfactory system) about his two books Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is So Successful. Stuart explains why he thinks that it is a mistake to believe that scientists make discoveries by following the “scientific method” and what he sees as the real relationship between science and art. We discuss Stuart's recent research showing that current models of olfactory processing are wrong, while Steve delves into the puzzling infinities in calculations that led to the development of quantum electrodynamics. Stuart also makes the case that the theory of intelligent design is more intelligent than most scientists give it credit for and that it would be wise to teach it in science classes.Resources Stuart Firestein Failure: Why Science Is so Successful Ignorance: How it drives science Transcript

Steve and Corey speak with Stuart Firestein (Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University, specializing in the olfactory system) about his two books Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is So Successful. Stuart explains why he thinks that it is a mistake to believe that scientists make discoveries by following the “scientific method” and what he sees as the real relationship between science and art. We discuss Stuart’s recent research showing that current models of olfactory processing are wrong, while Steve delves into the puzzling infinities in calculations that led to the development of quantum electrodynamics. Stuart also makes the case that the theory of intelligent design is more intelligent than most scientists give it credit for and that it would be wise to teach it in science classes.

Steve and Corey speak with Stuart Firestein (Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University, specializing in the olfactory system) about his two books Ignorance: How It Drives Science and Failure: Why Science Is So Successful. Stuart explains why he thinks that it is a mistake to believe that scientists make discoveries by following the “scientific method” and what he sees as the real relationship between science and art. We discuss Stuart's recent research showing that current models of olfactory processing are wrong, while Steve delves into the puzzling infinities in calculations that led to the development of quantum electrodynamics. Stuart also makes the case that the theory of intelligent design is more intelligent than most scientists give it credit for and that it would be wise to teach it in science classes.Resources Stuart Firestein Failure: Why Science Is so Successful Ignorance: How it drives science Transcript

How do breakthroughs happen? Not how we think. Movies, books, and articles, constrained by time and word limits, often leave out the realities --  the messy work, filled with dead ends, abandoned questions, and accidental discoveries. That is what Stuart Firestein, Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, wants to change. He believes that the roles ignorance and failure play in the discovery process are vastly underappreciated, so much so that he has written two books about them, Ignorance: How It Drives Science, and Failure: Why Science is So Successful. An advisor for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation program for The Public Understanding of Science, Stuart shares insights from his own work as a successful researcher and scientist and from those of his peers, as well as scientific philosophers and historians. Insights from our interview:   Knowledge and facts are important insofar as they help us ask better questions Conscious ignorance offers a useful playground for discovery The messy process of science and discovery is where the value lies The disconnect between scientific textbooks and courses and actual science The innovative course he teaches that helps students gain a scientific mindset What it is that makes a problem interesting How scientists, researchers, and creatives look for connections Why failure can be useful even if it never leads to an eventual success The fact that the more expert a person is the less certain they will be How systems limit innovation Why we need better tools for assessment and evaluation in schools Why we need feedback tools that are more diagnostic and less judgmental Why he worries most about people who dislike or are disinterested in science Why he sees his lab as a cauldron of curiosity How writing books requires a different way of looking at things How philosophy and history can impact science in an interactive way Selected Links to Topics Mentioned Stuart Firestein @FiresteinS Be Bad First by Erika Andersen Is the Scientific Paper a Fraud by Peter Medawar James Clerk Maxwell Principles of Neuroscience Eric Kandel Kenneth Rogoff D.H. Lawrence Do No Harm by Henry Marsh MCAT NIH NSF Sidney Brenner Michael Krasny Karl Popper Thomas Kuhn Isaiah Berlin If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes. For automatic delivery of new episodes, be sure to subscribe. As always, thanks for listening! Thank you to Emmy-award-winning Creative Director Vanida Vae for designing the Curious Minds logo, and thank you to Rob Mancabelli for all of his production expertise! www.gayleallen.net LinkedIn @GAllenTC

We’ve all had an “oops” moment. Scientists are no exception. Sometimes science stumbles in the steady march of progress. Find out why cold fusion is a premier example why you shouldn’t hold a press conference before publishing your results. Also, how to separate fumbles from faux-science from fraud. Plus, why ignorance is what really drives the scientific method. And our Hollywood skeptic poses as a psychic for Dr. Phil, while our Dr. Phil (Plait) investigates the authenticity of a life-bearing meteorite. Guests: •   Phil Plait – Skeptic and author of Slate Magazine’s blog Bad Astronomy •   Michael Gordin – Historian of science at Princeton University, author of The Pseudoscience Wars: Immanuel Velikovsky and the Birth of the Modern Fringe •   David Goodstein – Physicist, California Institute of Technology •   Stuart Firestein – Neuroscientist, chair of the biology department, Columbia University, and author of Ignorance: How It Drives Science •   Jim Underdown – Executive Director, Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles