A survey was conducted among influential scientists to find out which scientific concepts they consider to be the most important for the modern era. We invite you to familiarize yourself with this list.
1. Cognitive humility
Decades of cognitive research have shown that our minds have limits and are far from perfect, but knowing this limit, we can learn to reason more effectively. The most difficult consequence of this phenomenon can be considered the fact that people tend to remember those things that are consistent with their beliefs, regardless of evidence.
2. Cognitive loading
Our brain can hold a limited amount of information at a time: when there is too much information, "information overload" sets in, and then we are easily distracted and do not remember what we studied. Working memory is what scientists call short-term memory, it is in it that the content of our consciousness is stored at each specific moment, and it is this area that processes all the impressions and thoughts we receive during the day.
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3. Limitation of satisfaction
When we have too many options to choose from, no matter how attractive and useful they are, it can be overwhelming for us: we cannot find the best solution and choose one thing. Therefore, restrictions are beneficial - with a finite number of options, we choose from the proposed one much faster. In fact, many creative solutions come from limiting gratification: for example, Einstein made a breakthrough in physics when he realized that time doesn't have to flow at a constant rate.
4. Conjugated superorganisms
The joint efforts of biologists and sociologists have led to the formation of a "society of exposed altruism", in other words, any altruistic act is done in their own interests. However, a new concept - “conjugate superorganisms” - suggests that we live life in several different hierarchies: when you reach a higher level of development, you are able to put the success of the group above your own personal goal - this principle is guided, for example, by the military and firefighters.
5. Copernicus principle
The Copernicus principle is based on the idea of our non-uniqueness: the Universe is much larger than we can realize, and we are assigned a rather insignificant role in it. The paradox of the Copernican principle is that only by correctly assessing our place in it, even if it is insignificant, we can understand the true motives of specific circumstances, and when we do some actions, they will not be so insignificant.
6. Cultural attractor
We are attracted to those ideas or concepts that we can easily understand and assimilate: for example, round numbers are a cultural attractor, since they are easy to remember and use as symbols to denote quantities. However, if we are attracted by this or that concept, this does not mean that it is the best for every situation.
7. Cumulative error
When information is transmitted over multiple channels, some of its elements can be distorted as a result of bias or simple human error - the effect of spreading disinformation is called cumulative error. Considering that we live in an era when information can travel around the world in a nanosecond, this principle has become important for us and even to some extent dangerous.
8. Cycles
Cycles explain everything, especially at the basic level of evolution and biology, but it is worth paying attention to which cycles are active at the moment. All the "magic" of cognitive perception, like life itself, depends on cycles within cycles of recurrent reflexive informational transformation processes - from biochemical processes inside a neuron to the circadian sleep-wake cycle, brainwaves and fading, which we can observe with electroencephalographs.
9. Deep Time
There is a belief that we have more time ahead than we have already spent - this forms a more expansive view of the world and the potential of the universe. For example, our Sun did not last even half of the time that was given to it: it was formed 4.5 billion years ago, but it will shine for another 6 billion years before it runs out of fuel.
10. Double blind method
This is the concept that the subjects are not privy to important details of the research being conducted. Researchers use it as a tool to prevent the subconscious mind from influencing the outcome of an experiment. Understanding why double-blind experimentation is necessary can help people understand their subjective everyday biases, defend against generalization habits, and understand the need for critical thinking.
11. Theory of efficiency
The theory of efficiency is one of the most important concepts in science, its idea is that you can actually measure something and decide, taking into account the accuracy of the measuring instruments at your disposal, to what extent your theory matches the results obtained.
12. Group expansion
The more technology advances, the more connected we become, and more and more intersections between different groups and segments of the population arise - for example, more marriages take place. Such effects are potentially useful for improving cognitive skills from two different perspectives: scientists call them the "expansion of groups of common interests" and the "hybrid energy effect".
13. Externalities
We all, in one way or another, influence each other, especially in the world of interconnections. Externalities are the unintended positive and negative side effects of these interactions. In the modern world, external effects are becoming more and more important, since an action that occurs in any place can potentially affect other actions on the opposite end of the world.
14. Failure promotes success
Failure is not something to be avoided, but rather something to be cultivated. We are used to seeing failure as a sign of weakness and inability to try again, and yet the West's flourishing is associated with a tolerance for failure: many immigrants, brought up in a culture where mistakes cannot be tolerated, succeed in an environment where failure is acceptable. therefore, failure is conducive to success.
15. Fear of the unknown
Our attachment to friends and acquaintances often prevents us from taking risks and taking the steps that lead to real breakthrough: often we are unable to assess the real balance of risk and benefit, and our irrational fears hinder progress. If society learns to understand how to assess the risks associated with technology and accept short-term risks for greater long-term benefits, then progress can be expected in all areas of science - especially biomedical technologies.
16. Patterns of fixed actions
We often tend to explain our behavior by instincts, but what we think of as instinct can be behavior learned over time - a pattern of fixed actions. This effect has many uses, including our ability as intelligent beings to change behaviors that we consider instinctive: by being aware of our own patterns of fixed actions and the patterns of those people with whom we interact, we, as people with the ability to cognitive processes, can rethink our behaviors.
17. Concentration on illusion
We often think that certain set of circumstances could drastically change our lives, but in fact, factors such as income and health do not indicate an individual's overall happiness. This discrepancy in the distribution of attention between fictional life circumstances and real life is the reason for focusing on illusion.
18. Hidden layers
Hidden layers are layers of understanding that exist between external reality and our own perception of the world. Layer systems become more interconnected as our habits develop: for example, it is difficult to learn how to ride a bicycle, but with practice this skill becomes an integral part of us. The general concept of hidden layers encompasses deep aspects of how consciousness works - whether in humans, animals, or aliens, in the past, present or future.
19. Holism
In colloquial speech, the concept of holism means that the whole is greater than its individual parts. The most impressive example is how carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, iron and several other elements, mixed in the right proportions, form life. There is a kind of amazing interaction between the parts: just look at DNA and other complex systems like cities that only function when each individual element does its job.
20. Conclusion of the best explanation
If an event occurs, then there are many things that could cause it, but the truth is often the most rational explanation for what happened. Many of our most violent scientific discussions - about string theory and the foundations of quantum mechanics, for example - are about which competing criteria should prevail.
21. Kaleidoscopic Discovery Machine
The most significant insights or inventions are usually the work of several people. More often than not, no one does anything alone: everyone is leaning on someone else's shoulders. Looking back, we often find that if one scientist did not make a particular discovery, although he worked on it, then another individual made that discovery over the next several months or years. There is reason to believe that great discoveries are part of a kaleidoscope of discoveries and are made by many people at once.
22. Play of names
We give names to everything that surrounds us in order to better understand the world, but at the same time we sometimes distort or simplify the true nature of an organism or a process: this name keeps us from further, deeper questions about the nature of something. It is also important not to come up with too many words associated with different concepts, as this can lead to misunderstandings: for example, the word "theory" in science means a strong viable idea, and colloquially - a general assumption.
23. Meta-induction of pessimism
Many scientific theories of past eras have proven to be wrong, so we must assume that most modern theories will also end up wrong. By accepting the assumption that many of our theories are “in fact temporary and probably wrong,” we can hear and accept other people's ideas.
24. Positive-sum games
In zero-sum games, there is a clear winner and loser, and in positive-sum games, everyone wins. A rational, self-serving player in such games can benefit another player by making the same decisions that benefit him.
25. Power of Ten
Most of the world operates with a force of ten - understanding the principles of ranking, for example, in the case of the Richter scale for measuring earthquakes, allows us to more fully understand the scale of the event. Our space-time trajectory is a tiny part of the universe, but we can at least apply the force of ten to it and appreciate the perspective.
26. Predictive coding
Our expectations and whether they were met or not, strongly affect our perception of the world and, ultimately, the quality of our life. Predictive coding takes into account how the brain uses predictive and expectant mechanisms to make sense of incoming signals and apply them to perception, thought, and action.
27. Chaos
Randomness is a fundamental limit to our intuition, which says that there are processes that we cannot fully predict. This concept is difficult for us to perceive, despite the fact that it is an integral part of our world. However, some random events, like a chaotic cluster of atoms, are so absolute that we can predict the outcome of such a “randomness” with complete certainty.
28. Rational unconscious
Freud created the idea of an irrational subconscious, but many modern scientists dispute this concept: instead, they argue that the conscious and unconscious are closely related, and insist that our brain works on both levels. Our conscious understanding of probability, for example, is far from perfect, but our unconscious constantly makes subtle assessments of various probabilities.
29. Selfish bias
The idea is that we perceive ourselves better than we really are. We tend to take credit for ourselves and blame others for failures: for example, nine out of ten drivers think their driving level is above average, and in student surveys, more than 90% of respondents rate themselves above their peers.
30. Shifting base syndrome
This syndrome consists in the belief that everything we perceive is the norm, while we do not take into account the past or the potential of future events. The syndrome is named after the scientist Daniel Pauly, who argued that "each generation takes as a basis the size of the reserves and the composition of society, which took place at the beginning of their lives, and uses them to measure changes throughout life." When the next generation begins its journey, stocks have already dwindled, but this new state becomes their new foundation.
31. Skeptical Empiricism
The best example for skeptical empiricism is carefully designed and tested scientific research that compares favorably with conventional empiricism, which is the result of simply observing the world around us. Simply put, it is important for us to be skeptical about the world around us, and not just accept what we consider to be "truth."
32. Structured sagacity
We overestimate the importance of luck for making breakthroughs, but successful people regularly put themselves in those positions - constant learning, tireless work, seeking truth - where luck finds them on its own. Each of us should spend several hours a week searching for and studying materials that have nothing to do with our daily work, in an area that also has nothing to do with our work.
33. Sub-I and modular mind
The belief that we have only one “I” is false: in fact, we have several personalities, or “sub-I”. Each of us has a set of functional "sub-me" - one is used when communicating with friends, the other is intended for self-defense, the third is gaining status, the fourth is needed to find a partner, and so on.
34. Umwelt
Umwelt is the idea that we blindly accept the reality around us. It would be useful to include the concept of "umwelt" in the public lexicon - it describes well the idea of limited knowledge, inaccessibility of information and unforeseen circumstances.
35. Uncalculated risk
We humans assess probabilities poorly: our irrational fears and inclinations always negatively affect our assessments. We attach too much importance to the possibility of rare large events that sometimes happen to us (for example, winning the lottery or plane crashes), but we do not pay much attention to small events. Making the right decisions takes mental strain, but if we overdo it, we run the risk of going down the counterproductive path: increasing stress and wasting time. So it's best to maintain balance and play while taking healthy risks.