Benjamin Keep

About:

Benjamin Keep is the author of 'Avoiding Folly', a newsletter focusing on mistakes in knowledge transformation and how to avoid them.

Website:

www.benjaminkeep.com

Interests:

Knowledge transformation Avoiding mistakes

Incoming Links:

Sébastien Dubois

Outgoing Links:

Gwern Branwen

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2024-12-05 •

The author gives an update on their new learning community, including a course on research on learning, upcoming live streams, video and written resources, and a growing community of students and teachers. They also mention restar...

2024-02-22 •

The blog post discusses the rapid retraction of a 2015 study that initially claimed a higher divorce rate when wives, but not husbands, became seriously ill. The error was due to a data miscategorization, leading to a retraction a...

2024-02-08 •

The blog post discusses the historical development and adoption of crop rotation systems in agriculture, focusing on the transition from two- and three-field systems to the Norfolk four-course system. This system, which involves r...

2024-02-01 •

The blog post discusses the reading crisis in the United States, highlighting that 48 million adults struggle with reading, and over half of the population reads below a 6th-grade level. This lack of literacy is linked to negative...

2024-01-25 •

The blog post discusses the concept of absolutist thinking, where people make blanket claims without considering context. It critiques the idea that 'facts don't change minds,' highlighting research on motivated reasoning and conc...

2023-12-21 •

The blog post discusses the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), a tool designed to measure the tendency to rely on intuitive but incorrect answers. The CRT is often used to assess the ability to reflect before making decisions, and i...

2023-12-14 •

The blog post critiques the use of storytelling in science communication, arguing that it often distorts facts and oversimplifies complex realities. The author uses the example of a children's book about Mary Anning, a fossil hunt...

2023-11-30 •

The blog post discusses the evolution of recipes over time, noting that modern recipes are more structured and informative compared to the past. They now often include ingredient categorization, explanations of cooking principles,...

2023-11-23 •

The blog post discusses the approach of Kenji 'Numot the Nummy' Egashira, a Magic streamer, who avoids using or creating draft guides for new Magic card sets. Instead, he learns by playing the game, which contrasts with the common...

2023-11-16 •

The blog post discusses the limitations and distortions caused by the concept of 'favorites' and ranking. The author reflects on how ranking forces unnecessary comparisons between incomparable items, such as foods or tools, and hi...

2023-11-09 •

The blog post discusses the challenges of dealing with flawed scientific research, focusing on Brian Wansink's work on eating behavior. Wansink's studies, which suggested that factors like plate size and social cues influence eati...

2023-11-02 •

The blog post discusses the concept of path dependence in learning, using two examples. The first example is the author's son, who developed a strong interest in rockets after visiting the Houston Space Center, illustrating how ex...

2023-10-26 •

The blog post discusses the challenges of using data in decision-making, using the author's experience with online poker and Poker Tracker software as an example. The software provided statistical data on players, which was intend...

2023-10-19 •

The blog post discusses the misconception that science always provides definitive answers, particularly in the context of human behavior sciences. While natural sciences can offer precise solutions, such as in engineering, the sci...

2023-10-12 •

The blog post discusses the 'Mozart Effect,' a phenomenon from the 1990s where listening to Mozart was believed to enhance intelligence. The original study involved college students and showed a temporary improvement in spatial re...

2023-10-05 •

The blog post discusses the historical context of the Song Dynasty's interactions with the Xi Xia and Liao dynasties, highlighting the reactive nature of government reforms driven by crises. It uses the example of Fan Zhongyan's a...