162 | Leidy Klotz on Our Resistance to Subtractive Change

162 | Leidy Klotz on Our Resistance to Subtractive Change

There is no general theory of problem-solving, or even a reliable set of principles that will usually work. It's therefore interesting to see how our brains actually go about solving problems. Here's an interesting feature that you might not have guessed: when faced with an imperfect situation, our first move to improve it tends to involve adding new elements, rather than taking away. We are, in general, resistant to subtractive change. Leidy Klotz is an engineer and designer who has worked with psychologists and neuroscientists to study this phenomenon. We talk about how our relative blindness to subtractive possibilities manifests itself, and what lessons might be for design more generally.

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Leidy Klotz received his Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering from Penn State University. He is currently Copenhaver Associate Professor of Engineering Systems and Environment and Architecture at the University of Virginia. Before becoming a professor, he worked as a school designer, and before that was a professional soccer player for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. His new book is Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.


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AMA | August 2023

AMA | August 2023

Welcome to the August 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patr...

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245 | Solo: The Crisis in Physics

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244 | Katie Elliott on Metaphysics, Chance, and Explanation

244 | Katie Elliott on Metaphysics, Chance, and Explanation

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243 | Joseph Silk on Science on the Moon

243 | Joseph Silk on Science on the Moon

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242 | David Krakauer on Complexity, Agency, and Information

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AMA | July 2023

AMA | July 2023

Welcome to the July 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreo...

3 Juli 20233h 4min

241 | Tim Maudlin on Locality, Hidden Variables, and Quantum Foundations

241 | Tim Maudlin on Locality, Hidden Variables, and Quantum Foundations

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240 | Andrew Pontzen on Simulations and the Universe

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