Celebrated authors Dr Seth Stephens-Davidowitz and Professor Nick Chater in exploring how well we really understand ourselves and each other – from our thoughts and feelings to our motives and actions.
Dr Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, a Harvard-trained economist, former Google data scientist and New York Times writer, presents findings from his book, Everybody Lies, which explains how much of what we thought about people has been dead wrong. The reason? People lie, to friends, lovers, doctors, surveys – and themselves. However, we no longer need to rely on what people tell us. New data from the internet – the traces of information that billions of people leave on Google, social media, dating, and even pornography sites – finally reveals the truth.
Professor Nick Chater, founder of Warwick Business School’s Behavioural Science Group and co-founder of research consultancy Decision Technology, presents his radical interpretation about how our minds actually work. Drawing on startling new research in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and perception, he shows we don’t know our own minds – instead, we have to infer our own beliefs and motives, and unsteadily discover our own personalities, as our lives unfold.
Seth and Nick discuss their latest insights and what the practical applications of their findings could be when designing future policy with Elspeth Kirkman of BIT.