Absorbent Minds: Human Cognition in a Digital World with Leslie Valiant PhD

The learning mechanism in the human brain is not yet equipped to deal with information meant to deceive or manipulate. Armed with a computational approach to civilization but lacking the ability to discern fact from fiction, we find ourselves at the precipice of a new digital world for which we may not be prepared.To reveal how human cognition processes information, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the T. Jefferson Coolidge Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, Dr. Leslie Valiant. Leslie discusses a human’s predisposition to accept the information we ingest as truth and explains the central tenet of his newest book, The Importance of Being Educable: A New Theory of Human Uniqueness.This episode is proudly sponsored by:Ouai — Offers beauty-boosting head-to-toe self-care rituals. Visit theouai.com and use code HH to get 15% off of your entire purchase.Like what you're hearing?WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.