PODCAST · science
Cognitive Engineering
by Cognitive Engineering
Welcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Episodes
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Swiss Army Knives
Whatever happened to the Swiss army knife? Fraser, Nick and Peter explore the history and appeal of the pocket-sized multi-tool. From the Swiss army knife to printers, sporks and cycling tools, the team considers what makes combining functions worthwhile and when adding another feature makes...
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Two-by-Two Matrices
Can everything be made easier with two questions and four boxes? Fraser, Nick and Peter explore the undying appeal of 2×2 matrices, and ask how they can help us prioritise tasks, classify information and choose an analytical approach. From the Eisenhower matrix to known unknowns, the team…
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Looming
What determines how we respond to approaching threats like moving objects or approaching deadlines? Fraser, Nick and Peter explore how we detect oncoming danger and how that response drives anxiety, fear and procrastination. The conversation begins with locusts watching Star Wars, then moves from...
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Luck or Judgement?
Did Mark Zuckerberg build one of the world's greatest companies through extraordinary skill, or was he simply in the right place at the right time? Using Meta's $77 billion Metaverse gamble as a starting point, Fraser, Nick, and Peter explore one of the most important questions in business, sport...
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Future Communication
As large language models become a routine part of office life, a curious workflow is emerging: people ask AI to expand a handful of bullet points into polished reports or emails, only for someone else to ask AI to summarise them back into bullet points. In this episode, Fraser, Nick and Peter ask...
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Faking it
"Fake it till you make it" is one of the most repeated pieces of career advice, but does it actually work? In this episode, the team explores the origin of the idea, when it genuinely helps people succeed, and where it crosses the line into deception or outright fraud. From Arnold Schwarzenegger,...
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Trillionaires
Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire. But is this simply the result of inflation and economic growth, or does it signal that we're entering a new era of wealth creation? In this episode, Nick, Peter and Fraser ask whether today's extraordinary fortunes are genuinely unprecedented…
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Sheer Luxury
Why do people spend extraordinary amounts of money on objects that seem to serve no practical purpose? And what exactly separates luxury from quality? Inspired by the case of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell's misuse of party funds for high-end personal purchases, Fraser, Nick and Peter…
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AI Slop
In this episode, we explore the phenomenon of AI slop - the flood of bland, over-polished, formulaic content generated by chatbots and their ilk - and ask how AI content has gone from cool, to naff, to actively despised. The conversation ranges from AI-generated writing and artwork. to clip art,...
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It’ll Only Take Five Minutes
Why do days filled with quick, easy tasks leave us feeling as though we've achieved nothing? In this episode, we explore the psychology of the "five-minute job": the seemingly trivial administrative tasks that can consume entire days. Starting with Nick's frustration at Mondays disappearing into...
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How to Decline
Every great power eventually faces decline—but does decline inevitably lead to collapse? In this episode, Fraser, Nick and Peter examine what it really means for a nation, empire or civilisation to decline. Is America's relative loss of global dominance something to fear, or simply the natural...
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Irrationality
In this episode, we begin with Hitler’s supposed Alpine Redoubt and use it to explore a broader question: how do we make sense of irrational decision-making? We discuss why Allied planners expected the Nazis to behave “sensibly” by retreating to Bavaria, when Hitler instead chose a symbolic last...
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Weather Symbolism
In this episode, we explore why weather carries such powerful symbolic meaning in storytelling and everyday language. From storms representing conflict and change, to sunshine signalling hope and renewal, we unpack how these associations appear across literature, film and culture. We consider...
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Evil Corporations
In this episode, we explore the idea of “evil corporations,” prompted by a legal case in which a woman successfully sued social media companies for making their platforms addictive. We examine whether corporations deliberately design harmful products, concluding that in many cases they do, and...
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The Sense of an Ending
In this episode, we ask how we know when something has really ended, starting with the much-criticised finale of Game of Thrones. We explore why some endings feel satisfying while others feel rushed, artificial or unresolved, looking at the difference between fiction and real life. We discuss how...
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How to Buy a Car
In this episode of the Cognitive Engineering Podcast, the team responds to a listener’s question about how to buy a car, using it as a springboard into wider ideas about decision-making. They explore the tension between analytical approaches—spreadsheets, cost breakdowns and rational...
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Accessing the Past
In this episode, we explore why some older media remain surprisingly accessible while other, much newer works become almost impossible to experience. We compare a 300-year-old piece of music that can still be played from notation with old computer games that no longer run because of lost code,...
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Sensitive Topics
In this episode, we discuss a forthcoming board game about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and ask why some subjects feel uncomfortable when turned into games. We explore whether the controversy comes from the topic itself, the tone, the medium, the time elapsed since the events or the cultural...
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Training
In this episode we discuss training: what it can realistically achieve, why it often fails and how people actually become good at things. The conversation begins with Aleph’s past experience delivering analytical training, and Nick’s frustration that training often strips away the excitement of...
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Aleph Peace Prize
Episode summary In this episode, the team explores what prizes are actually for. Starting with a discussion of FIFA’s much-mocked “Peace Prize” and the longer pedigree of the Nobel Peace Prize, they examine how prizes gain prestige, whether they genuinely incentivise good behaviour and how they…
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Username and Password
In this episode, Fraser McGruer, Nick Hare, Chris Wragg and Peter Coghill explore one of modern life’s most persistent irritations: being asked to create yet another username and password. The conversation starts with a familiar frustration—setting up endless accounts for everyday tasks, from...
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Turning It Off and On Again
In this episode, Fraser McGruer, Nick Hare, Peter Coghill and Chris Wragg explore one of the most enduring pieces of technical advice: have you tried turning it off and on again? What begins with a glitchy video call and a reluctant router reboot quickly develops into a wide-ranging discussion...
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Culturally Significant Deaths
In this episode, we explore a deceptively simple question: what makes a death culturally significant? The conversation begins with an unsatisfying Reddit-style list of famous deaths by decade and quickly turns into a more analytical discussion. The team teases apart different kinds of…
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Inventions
Where did all the eccentric inventors go? The men (and women) in sheds, the gadgets with flashing lights, the sense that the future was arriving one bizarre prototype at a time. In this episode of the Cognitive Engineering Podcast, the panel ask whether invention has become boring — or whether…
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Destroying the World
A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Mirror life https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/17/science/mirror-cell-life-dangers For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected] This podcast uses…
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Worst President Ever
A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Trump ranked as worst president https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/20/presidents-ranking-trump-biden-list? - George W Bush the worst president ever...
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Lost Media
The missing link: why are we fascinated by lost media? From Celebrity Number Six to the original Backrooms photo, Love's Labours Won to absent Doctor Who episodes: what is it about lost media that intrigues and inspires us? In this podcast, we discuss the neurological itch that solving such...
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Best Technology
Tech it or leave it: what is the best technology? The bed, writing, antibiotics? In this podcast we ask: how do we define technology, and can we objectively measure the best of it? We take a look at potential metrics - from the number of people who benefit to quantifying the overall happiness...
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Crap Internet
Click bait and switch: has the internet swapped out knowledge for monetisation? Search engine optimisation, advertising run amok, users as customers: has the internet become a little bit crap and, if so, how do we fix it? In this podcast, we discuss the problem with the internet's funding model,...
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Big Companies
Is bigger really better? Does a company's product suffer the larger its owner gets? And if so, why? In this podcast, we discuss all things 'enshittification' - the perceived process of service and platform decay - and ask what is responsible: from growing beyond core competencies to ignorance of...
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Am I Old?
In this podcast, we're discussing old age and when, exactly, it befalls us. Do we simply wake up one day absent of youth? Or can we estimate its proximity by certain metrics, such as daily medication or number of grandchildren? We take a look at how old age has been historically codified, and...
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Hobbies
Leisure bound: what exactly makes a hobby a 'hobby'? In this podcast, we discuss all things structured fun. From train spotting to Morris dancing, board games to beach-going, we consider what actually constitutes a hobby - an activity for its own sake? Or are other metrics, like regularity,...
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National Treasures
On the hunt: what does it take to be a National Treasure? In this podcast, we discuss what it takes to be awarded National Treasure status: from niceness metrics and longevity to likeability and media endorsement. We reason why David Attenborough most definitely is a National Treasure while…
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Why History?
Buff or bust: why do we study history? In this podcast, we explore the value of studying history and discuss why it's more than a pastime meandering through past times. From crucial analogies and timeless lessons to methodologies for ensuring hindsight is always 20/20, we take a look at why…
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Bearded Soldiers
Preposterous protocols, nonsensical norms, and peculiar policies: what makes a rule weird? In this podcast, Nick, Ben, Leon, and Fraser discuss the British army's recent dropping of the ban against beards: the history behind the ban, what motivated the recent change, and what the whole affair can...
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Agree to Disagree
The taming of the shrewd: how do we rationally agree to disagree? In this podcast, Nick, Peter, Chris, and Fraser discuss the finer details of polite polemics, courteous clashes, and respectful repartees. Whether a code of conduct or dangerous hand-washing, they delve into the fundamentals of...
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Daniel Kahneman
Think fast! But ideally don't. In this podcast, Nick, Peter, and Fraser discuss Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel-prize-winning psychologist whose scholarship challenged economists' presumed rationality of human decision-making. From coining the term 'cognitive bias' and the development of prospect…
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Legacy Issues
Cremated, buried or donated to science? How much have you thought about what happens to you or your body after you die? Who owns your body after you die? And is having a legacy truly important? In this podcast, Nick, Peter and Fraser revisit the Hull funeral investigation, touch on how different...
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User Interfaces
In this podcast, we explore user interfaces. Specifically, we discuss the development, integration, progress and limitations of interfaces, and consider what could be next. ChatGPT with a brain? Neuralink? Tom Cruise's desk in Minority Report? A few things we mentioned in this podcast: Smartphone...
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Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a complex concept that spans a spectrum from inspiration to theft. But is plagiarism strictly black and white? Can it occur unintentionally and can it be considered permissible under certain circumstances? As the rise of generative AI continues, are users inadvertently plagiarising...
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Madness Vs Genius
Where is the much vaunted line between genius and madness? At a glance, it seems like they could be two sides of the same coin. Is the opposite of genius simply sheer stupidity? Is there a difference between the two or are they outputs of the same phenomenon? And where might there be some…
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Eternal Youth
The pursuit of immortality is a tantalising idea that appears in science and technology as well as works of art and literature. But who actually wants to live forever? What does it mean to ‘cure’ ageing? And what might be some unforeseen consequences of perpetual longevity? In this week’s…
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Neatness
The observant among us will have noted that 2023 ended on a Sunday. For those who believe Sunday marks the end of the week, this seems like a logical day to end the year. But why do we find these types of phenomena satisfying? Is it slightly obsessive or should we strive for this symmetry in our...
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Moaners
You would be forgiven for missing it, but late last year Google Maps changed its colour scheme. This caused an outcry across the Twittersphere and social media platforms, with many outraged the change took place without their endorsement or consent. After observing this spectacle unfold we…
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Populist Hair
What do Trump, Johnson, Wilders and Milei all have in common? No, it’s not politics, it’s an eccentric and recognisable coiffure. Do these examples allow us to draw a theory between politics and hair or is it just a happy coincidence? If there is a connection, why might it exist? In this week’s...
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Baddies
When we think of good and evil the picture appears obvious. The side of good is attractive, righteous and persuasive while the bad side is ugly, flawed and fallible. But does the way we intuitively expect good and evil to work line up with how it is portrayed in popular fiction and the arts? Are...
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Change vs Rest
When we go on holiday or experience an interruption to our daily lives, we are often reminded that a change can be as good as a rest. But is doing something different actually better than doing nothing? If true, what kind of implications would this have for our society? In this week’s episode, we...
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Figment of the Imagination
People who spread lies and deceive others are treated with contempt by society, and rightfully so. But what happens when the people we lie to and deceive are ourselves? Using the case of Walter Mitties as a starting point, we explore the prevalence of exaggeration, fantasy and our inner selves.…
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Thinking About Romans
Some of our listeners may be familiar with the popular Roman Empire meme doing the rounds on TikTok recently. The meme illuminates many nebulous concepts from our collective psychology in a humorous way, but there seems to be one central principal: we are sharing the world with people who often...
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The Art of the Return
Political returns are not unusual, but there are varying degrees of success. With the recent return of David Cameron to politics as Foreign Secretary, we started to think about how to stage a triumphal return. Are there predictable pitfalls that must be avoided? How do you know the time is right?...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
HOSTED BY
Cognitive Engineering
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cognitive Engineering have?
Cognitive Engineering currently has 411 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cognitive Engineering about?
Welcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
How often does Cognitive Engineering release new episodes?
Cognitive Engineering publishes regularly with 411 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Cognitive Engineering?
You can listen to Cognitive Engineering on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cognitive Engineering?
Cognitive Engineering is created and hosted by Cognitive Engineering.
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