Stuart Firestein: The pursuit of ignorance

What does real scientific work look like? As neuroscientist Stuart Firestein jokes: It looks a lot less like the scientific method and a lot more like "farting around ... in the dark." In this witty talk, Firestein gets to the heart of science as it is really practiced and suggests that we should value what we don't know -- or "high-quality ignorance" -- just as much as what we know.
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[@sheilalopez3983]

I had a teacher who used to tell me "you don't have to know it, you just have to remember it". She'd yell at me because I wanted to learn. She'd always give me bad grades when all I wanted was to learn. She would never answer my questions. Now I think that maybe she didn't know the answers.

[@joelonsdale]

How frustrating!

[@sheilalopez3983]

@@joelonsdale yep. Stay well stay strong stay cool 😎😎😎.

[@BalefulBunyip]

Yep when I was a child I was told by a teacher "Don't ask me questions just write down what I say". When at the end of the class I asked her to explain to me what was going on she sent me to the headmaster for a beating for not showing her respect in the classroom. Which I subsequently was. I was twelve. I never asked a question in class ever again. Absolutely hated school every day after that, dreaded going. I came to view school as an absolutely awful endurance marathon with exits guarded by uncaring, bullying and occasionally sadistic teachers. I count school as one of the worst experiences of my life and at 64 I have lived plenty.

[@namjoonie936]

yeah being dyslexic and having teachers like that is why i failed school

[@sheilalopez3983]

@@namjoonie936 bad teachers do too much damage to children. I had a substitute teacher once (thank God only once) who said to me when I went to ask her a question, " get away from me"!

[@dell177]

The more I learn the more I realize how much i don't know. I'm in my mid 70's and have been reading journals and books since junior high but my ignorance is growing faster than my knowledge is.

[@xiaoqingling1500]

Compassion and wisdom, the two of main characters are very helpful.

[@lindapendleton9176]

My experience also.

[@f_USAF-Lt.G]

Only by being actively cognative of how much more you need to know for the next "square one"

[@glenhill9884]

dell177, the old joke that follows what you wrote is that pretty soon you will know nothing about everything. :)

[@JohnDavid-kc9kt]

That's why you're smartest when you're 18 years old. You've learned everything there is about the world, without a clue as to the expanse of what you haven't.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

When I first became a college professor I was immediately aware of how little I actually knew. Over a very long career I attempted to rectify that deficiency. The end result was that I came to appreciate that I knew almost nothing compared to what can be known. I'm OK because I have always enjoyed the questions more than the answers.

[@rickeshpatel4025]

You chase knowledge another chases money or a fancy garden no difference in the end

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

@@rickeshpatel4025 What we seek is peace and contentment.

[@focusedvegetable3655]

@@stephenjablonsky1941 the problem with academia is that we follow a rule known as publish or perish. At a specific institute where I am if you do not have 3 publications per year, you need to pack your bags. For undergrads if they have not published before starting professional school, they are already at a disadvantage.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

@@focusedvegetable3655 When I wrote papers about music theory I discovered that almost no one read them. I learned a lot in preparing them so it was rewarding for me.

[@tommacdonald6295]

Very well said 👏 👍. I've come to an understanding of Pluto's adage and it has been personally very helpful to me. The naturally curious need to realize how unimportant knowing all the answers is. It's the questions that count and we're genetically programmed for that. Thanks for your comment 👍 🙂.

[@SerkoCarels1]

An educated man knows the extent of his education; a wise man knows the extent of his ignorance ❤️

[@BrooklynAvenue]

There is no dichotomy between the two in many cases, ergo your statement only impresses those who envy education

[@jimk8520]

@@BrooklynAvenue And it annoys those who can’t, don’t or won’t understand the difference between knowledge and wisdom. So much so that it tends to cause them to bash others who repeat it and other similar thoughts.

[@rickandrius2737]

@@jimk8520 Brooklyn boi is too cognitively limited to understand the insult

[@jimk8520]

@@rickandrius2737 He correctly used too many big words for that to be the case. Nope, he’s not limited, he’s purposefully stupid.

[@Peachtreedishes]

@@jimk8520 thanks for answering what i was thinking 👊

[@monikamitchell7120]

I love professors who are not demeaning and who strive to get people to learn more. Wonderfully put while making my own brain expand one smidge more!

[@jayaet]

I observed an insect, about 10mm long, on my kitchen window a few days ago. Firstly, it very thoroughly wiped its head with its minute forelimbs, then with the second set of legs it cleaned it’s mid- body and then, with the rear set, it went on to clean its wings. Clearly satisfied with the result, it flew off. When I see something like that it really makes me aware of our infancy in scientific understanding. The complexity of even such a minute creature is absolutely astonishing. We humans are on the road and making progress towards finding answers to our scientific curiosity but on a macro scale we are still somewhere at the beginning. Worryingly, asking scientifically and factually based questions today is a thing that seems to be going out of fashion. Belief is presently getting the upper hand once again, in our various cultures and societies and if nothing else, belief is very comforting. Something which science is not.

[@garicrewsen1128]

It would seem that the more knowledgeable we become, the closer to our infancy we are. The description of your epiphany is really cool.

[@jc.1191]

They say it's a post truth era. I think it's a misnomer. It's the lying era, truth is still there.

[@msmith53]

A major obstacle are those who think knowledge needs to be “monetized”. Realizing the that schools should humanize, not monetize would be a huge step forward and , maybe, make a better world?

[@obermeierro]

This is one of the best talks I've heard. What a challenge to everyone in education to help learners move to where their ignorance is and explore. A great challenge to how we evaluate progress in individuals.

[@garicrewsen1128]

Knowing that one doesn't know is (mind's) eye opening.

[@brucehoward8767]

@@garicrewsen1128 Thanks for the terrific thought….Quoting Leonardo da Vinci, ‘There are those that see. There are those that see when shown. And there are those that don’t see." The problem is that too many people feel that they see when clearly they don’t.

[@deanronson6331]

Obviously, you've listened to very few lectures, so it's very easy to impress you. First of all, SF is talking about scientists, not students. Students are held to a standard set by their school curricula and teacher evaluation. If they study hard, they can achieve a degree of knowledge that's expected of them at a particular level. On the other hand, scientists know without anyone having to tell them that their knowledge is limited and relative. But, if you, as a scientist, minimize theirs and your own achievements in a certain field, you are cutting the branch you're sitting on. It seems to me that SF is peddling a type of populist denigration of science so as to appeal to a large segment of our society that has deep suspicions about it.

[@margaritaorlova6697]

@@deanronson6331 You did not understand the talk, you have to relisten it and think about it. You can not see the point of the lecture at all, for now.

[@deanronson6331]

@@margaritaorlova6697 Could it be that you're too gullible and are easily impressed by any outlier argument? Firestein seems to be farting around when he denigrates the use of the term "scientific method" and its practice. Read my comment below.

[@MrJustSomeGuy87]

"We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance" - John Archibald Wheeler

[@dgkrenzel]

Maybe ignorance is the pool at the center of the island. It doesn't grow, it's the origin.

[@MrJustSomeGuy87]

DG K “"HOW COULD anything originate out of its opposite? For example, truth out of error? or the Will to Truth out of the will to deception? or the generous deed out of selfishness? or the pure sun-bright vision of the wise man out of covetousness? Such genesis is impossible; whoever dreams of it is a fool, nay, worse than a fool; things of the highest value must have a different origin, an origin of THEIR own - in this transitory, seductive, illusory, paltry world, in this turmoil of delusion and cupidity, they cannot have their source. But rather in the lap of Being, in the intransitory, in the concealed God, in the 'Thing-in-itself - THERE must be their source, and nowhere else!"--This mode of reasoning discloses the typical prejudice by which metaphysicians of all times can be recognized, this mode of valuation is at the back of all their logical procedure; through this "belief" of theirs, they exert themselves for their "knowledge," for something that is in the end solemnly christened "the Truth." The fundamental belief of metaphysicians is THE BELIEF IN ANTITHESES OF VALUES. It never occurred even to the wariest of them to doubt here on the very threshold (where doubt, however, was most necessary); though they had made a solemn vow, "DE OMNIBUS DUBITANDUM."” - Nietzsche

[@GaryR55]

Or, as Aristotle said, "If I can be said to know anything at all, it is that I know nothing."

[@blindspotspotter.2352]

Wow. That's deep.

[@thirdgen377]

@@JohnWaaland Your insight lifted some weight off of me. I oftentimes feel crushed by the weight of negativity, even to the point to where I think indulging in it will make me feel better, but it just makes my day worse and my head remains in a dark cloud of judgment and spite. I find myself hating the person in front of me on the road simply because they are there, and as awful as it makes me feel to have done so, I also have the mind to understand that it is the tyrant's mind that I am experiencing and not my own and I try to use it as a way to understand those who are at the extreme of malevolence. I just don't want to go all the way across the threshold, I genuinely do care about people and I prove it every day, but I am human and I do have my faults that I need to address and fix for myself. I am not perfect and I will never be perfect, but I can increase my awareness of the self at least.

[@jennifer7648]

I can't even begin to say how much I LOVE this. I am studying to be a child psychologist and I have used this amazing, wonderful doctor/scientist's work and talks a lot to learn from. He is spot on with how kids really need to and should be taught in schools!

[@glenhill9884]

But he >>>doesn't

[@jennifer7648]

@@glenhill9884 Well to me it seems he says the answers should be given and they have to come up with the questions. To get better at coming up with the to questions to ask to find out what is not already known.

[@alfredoprocaccini7345]

@@jennifer7648 I suggest you read "Beliefs" by Dilts. The part about the fish - is excellent. Glenn Hill is right - the major point that Firestein is making is that science is not scientific. You may like to check - Do schools kill creativity? by Sir Ken Robinson

[@cokiea57]

You're studying to be a child psychologist. How does that make you feel,...

[@alfredoprocaccini7345]

@@cokiea57 So if a therapist looks at you and goes, ‘And how do you feel about this?’ it’s basically their way of saying, ‘I have no fucking idea what to do at this moment and I’m hoping something pops up along the way.’ Words from Richard Bandler.

[@peterweber4094]

I remember saying to my students that the pursuit of knowledge is counter productive. The more you learn the more you understand how little you know. We need to change the focus from knowing to understanding, and in this facts are mere tools.

[@Weemadaggie]

One of the few good things my father told me repeatedly growing up, that. "The more you learn the more you understand how little you know"

[@CareyPortnoyBeauford]

"Here's the answer, what's the next question".. I love this. A great test question, very open ended. Make the kids think!!

[@tag7299]

That's a test answer. And it is not the answer but the addendum, without the actual answer it is nonsensical.

[@halweilbrenner9926]

Trump press conference

[@mkrchnak5269]

@@halweilbrenner9926 ....still? Maybe it’s time to get over your obsession.

[@kemouse]

One idea leads to another and so on..

[@margaritaorlova6697]

@@tag7299 The student has to show the way he had obtained his answer. The way is more important than the answer!

[@richardc6269]

A question never gets old. There's always a fresh new mind to listen.

[@faza553]

Dr Firestein is a wise teacher, a sage. Passionate love of learning is indeed a rare trait especially as it is necessary for solving global problems with repercussions also for personal happiness. Given the state of societies: family breakdown, environmental degradation affecting health, poor governance etc by whom & where will these fires be lit? Ted Talks keep my fires stoked!

[@garicrewsen1128]

Eight years hence and it is more appropriate than ever. Thank you TedTalks and Dr. Firestein for keeping the fires stoked.

[@craig5477]

As a young man in an English majors class our instructor asked this question : “Is it necessary for an essay to give an answer or is the question enough?” Every student in that class & the instructor said an essay that did not give an answer was useless. I argued ( but thinking back not very well) that the question was more than enough. My reasoning was that the question would more than likely be something I had never considered & would thus give me something new to think about. After considering what happened in that class I decided (as a 18 year old) that class would not help me prepare for my future & dropped it the next day changing my major to history & art. I as an old man I have thought about that day in the class that required answers for everything or it was ignored. What I’ve discovered is that our educational system doesn’t care if we understand anything as long as we know the talking points. This is the recipe that has produced the arrogant ignorance of todays students.

[@shrodokahn470]

It also fosters the attitude that ignorance is failure, that any answer is better than no answer, that we have all the answers and, by extension, there's no need to seek. A man's reach should exceed his grasp....

[@richard-fy2mu]

Love it. My great concern is when we regard science as unchallengeable. Conclusions, methodologies, etc. must be constantly challenged to avoid the trap of ignorance. I told one class the most threatening idea is expressed as "Why?" Ask ask again even G-d answers an honest why.

[@jamesb7651]

Science, by its nature and method, is never settled. To say that is arrogance, and if true, we must defund all scientific grants as useless.

[@Kefuddle]

What you mean statements like "the science is settled" and "the scientific consensus is overwhelming". People say this without any notion that science is just a model to aide understanding, it is not the destination and that consensus is a political concept. If just one person shows a flaw in the equation/data/procedure/sample/logic, suddenly 98% of scientists are...'wrong' :D

[@mcwolf1096]

Questioning and challenging is absolutely fine and certainly necessary, but in far too many cases, especially coming from non-scientists (or in some cases even actual scientists, but non-experts in the relevant field), it actually means a denial of facts and scientific findings due to some bias or other. Ask any flat-Earther and they'll tell you that you "should challenge your views about a spherical Earth". Ask creationists and they'll tell you to "always question the notion that humans have evolved from monkeys". No. That's not questioning or challenging, that's reality denial. How often do these same people "challenge their views that stepping in front of a speeding car might hurt you" for example?

[@timhunt7765]

@@mcwolf1096 - I challenged my views about a spherical Earth, until I saw all the way around to the beginning view. If you challenge your own notion that humans evolved from monkeys, perhaps you will find that you were made in the Image of The Living God, who alone can answer the most important questions in your life: Origin, Meaning, Morality and Destiny. Where did I come from? Why am I here, How do I know right from wrong, What happens to me when I die? The answers to these have eternal significance. Let's hope that if either one of us sees the other about to step in front of the speeding car, the other will reach out and pull (he, her, she, him, thee, thou, they, them, us,) back.

[@mcwolf1096]

@@timhunt7765 _"until I saw all the way around to the beginning view."_ I don't know what you mean with that, can you rephrase it?

[@richardowensnr6243]

Brilliant, nails it perfectly, the closer we look at anything only raises more questions. period.

[@Ratboy2004]

And that is called research.

[@jmhatutube]

I absolutely loved this. I was an abject failure in school. All I cared about in high school was my rock band and chasing girls. I have since earned my master's in Information Systems but earning that, and my bachelors, has made me realize that I may have a learning disorder. I got good grades, but I still struggle reading the information that I want. I wish I could learn more about everything. I have 3 sons that are devout scientists. My doctor son actually liked organic chemistry. I've obviously never taken it but everyone I've ever known who has disliked it immensely. This video has opened my mind so much to my son's attitudes that it was very funny in many parts. They are all still young. My oldest is 32. But my doctor son is full of doctor arrogance. He'll rattle off his medical jargon, but when his computer doesn't work right he wants to throw it out the window. That's where I come in. Thank you Dr. Firestein for this wonderful talk. I've always felt that we have vast oceans to (of ignorance) to learn. This has only solidified my thoughts.

[@WorldCollections]

Brilliant talk! Although the loads of information and its controversial edge left the audience somewhat stunned. As a graduate student I agree, examinations are basically weeding out. I've always argued that examination styles should be as diverse as possible to prevent 'selecting' for a particular mind set.

[@f_USAF-Lt.G]

As a former Air Force Senior Officer: I know that the diversity of mindset is for keeping ourselves between the collected data and the aggregate results... The technical reports can wait for the subsequent brief, but the specifics are needed to formulate the "real" product. Understanding the reliability of the data, the results of the aggregation processes, you have the basis of reasonability. Grabbing the gist of the report trends is to see the consensus of what "they" want it to mean, but understanding those trends is a separate aggregate. The real outcomes pertaining to 'where' the unasked questions are leading is only accessible by knowing the correct questions to ask _ then apply all the given information to find the other relevant trends. Toughest part is: First sentence = what we know Second sentence = why it matters ... Put into a logic train that lends access to the other connections of all the information and it's purposes, even as inferences and direct mention.

[@WorldCollections]

@@f_USAF-Lt.G Man this reply is a convoluted aggregate!

[@garicrewsen1128]

Considering today's date (1-14-22) I'd say he had a crystal ball.

[@dennisstrahm4309]

Many of my professors 'taught to the test', and made it easy to score well without much effort. The demanding ones revealed my true potential... so I became a carpenter.

[@kbanghart]

@@dennisstrahm4309 I hope you enjoy it

[@howardhdavidson]

What did I learn from this man’s words? We have far more to learn than we’ve already learned

[@sabinedalianis2629]

Just a little tease on the side, learned is how I would spell it. But I know that there are two ways to spell it, I just learned it by looking it up.

[@howardhdavidson]

@@sabinedalianis2629 Yes a slip of the keyboard..No problem..Thanks.

[@supremereader7614]

"Education is not about filling buckets, it's about lighting fires." awesome

[@lancewedor5306]

Fantastic! What a marvelous educator. A brilliant mind brimming with obvious pleasure for science and his discipline is presented, along with excursions to humor and light-heartedness. This reveals an expert script written and presented by a skilled communicator. I would have excitedly covered all assignments to study under his tutelage. There is much to be gained, especially when flatulating within non-illuminated surroundings.

[@HenyMustikasari]

This teaches me a lot of thing while smiling and questioning myself. Amazing talks!

[@RobSinclaire]

Excellent! Also: I would like to acknowledge the high standard of production values that TED Talks consistently achieves (sound, lighting, staging, camera work etc.) in your presentations - these are a great compliment to the quality of the content and subject matter at hand. Thank you very much!

[@garicrewsen1128]

Looks/sounds great 8 years later‼

[@natashanonnattive4818]

Good for brainwashing you mean

[@jahangeerasif]

He is advocating about the education system in which we tell to student what we do not know yet in Science, so that their focus toward that ignorance eventualy bring out new valid theory to the things that we dnt know yet...i agree with him because it will speed up the innovations and help us to reach at the stage of development in less time.

[@tag7299]

While I agree that the thing that makes a scientist is that he is more aware of what we don't know than what we already know, we climb the mountain to knowledge on the basis of what we already know.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

You can't think outside the box unless you already know what is inside it.

[@Alejandro388]

oh, so you think you've just came up with a brilliant shortcut to scientific progress? Well think again... one has to learn to crawl before one runs, same applies to hard science. If you just want to energize randoms on the street with some pop-science extravaganza, sure, go ahead and wow them with "unknown" and "mysterious" while simultaneously taking a dump on the complex fundamentals of sciences which were forged over the centuries by people x10 times smarter and 100x more dedicated than you

[@blackwolf8281]

In my experience.. I have found that even the most ignorant person knows something.. So don't judge others.. If some one acts or seems dumb, that doesn't mean they're stupid.. Great speech..

[@MrJohnnyboyrebel]

I was told that “ignorance can be repaired, but stupid is forever.”

[@blackwolf8281]

Agreed..

[@msmith53]

Stupid can’t be fixed! Ignorance can!

[@jayclark2077]

@@MrJohnnyboyrebel: Stupid is in the will, and "the Will is a mystery." It can't be touched from outside. JWC

[@jayclark2077]

Black Wolf: Most people can calculate 2 + 2 and tie their shoes. But that is Instrumental knowledge and not Higher Knowledge. The system calls itself "Higher" but there is nothing higher in it. Higher education in America is a Fraud. It doesn't exist because there are no, zero, classes on that than without which there can be no higher knowledge, namely First Principles, or "self evident truths," as Jefferson called them. One can not get to knowledge, much less Wisdom, from memorization and regurgitation. It's not possible. And the odd fact that occasionally some one person should become knowledgeable or even wise is NEVER BECAUSE of the system, BUT DESPITE the system--though it is clear that many of those commenting here, being themselves products of the system, think foolishly that the teacher that tries to kill your spirit is the cause of its survival and growth! What nonsense! The cancer does not eat your body because it wants you to call a surgeon and be healthy. It wants to consume you. And yet, a number here think these moronic and dangerous teachers should be "thanked." They actually say that. JWC

[@ianbreuser2265]

"Know what you don't know" said an instructor in a class that I took.

[@tag7299]

I prefer being aware of what you don't know. Knowing what you don't know is an indefinite regression.

[@TheMasonX23]

As a budding neuroscientist, I thank you. I may have always understood the texts myself, but it would be nice if they were written in a format that the masses could understand. It would make my work much easier, and would make it easier to broach new topics with people, as I have been noted as a tutor for similarly boiling down science to the level where it becomes understandable, and even "cool." I sincerely hope more scientists and textbook authors take your advice to heart and make it understandable, and as cool as it out to be. Knowing the fundamental laws that govern our planet and universe is immensely satisfying, though I wish it were so easily picked up upon by the lay folk that we drop our percentage of those that believe the sun revolves around the Earth from 20% to 0% (American-centric stat, the EU has almost 1/3 believing that falsehood, don't know about the rest). Please, continue to spread your ideas Stuart, you have so much to offer modern science education.

TheMasonX Where do you get your nonsense numbers?

[@TheMasonX23]

According to Time magazine, it's 25%, but I've seen 20% in a similar study. The 33% of EU citizens is also quoted in this article. time.com/7809/1-in-4-americans-thinks-sun-orbits-earth/

[@chaistan]

+TheMasonX I can't believe that article. Can you link the actual research?

[@mildot5482]

Rather 50 % in USA .. and 0 % in Europe . Who believe that in Europe ? .. In usa yes because of weird school system ..everyone can opens a university and calls it university. .and prints Certificate of graduation. .

[@periklisspanos7185]

The son revolves around the earth the only way to prove the opposite is , to go to the sun and see what’s happening

[@meteor2012able]

Absolutely correct...I love the ripple metaphor. I first heard this in 1977 during a UCLA professor's lecture. I have taught the two kids ( ages 15, and 12) next door about the pursuit of knowledge making us more ignorant. That people who recognize they are ignorant are humbled...."Because, they realize how little they know." Great Lecture! I am 89 yo and as ignoranFun I could make myself. It has been fun!

[@michaelfoxbrass]

“Scientists don’t talk about what we know, we talk about what we don’t know.” Knowledge comes from practicing wisdom in exploring ignorance.

[@virtuallyrealistic]

My brother was a STEM teacher. Yet in my experience, teachers always want to teach “the gifted” “the talented” so they ration their efforts. Kahnemann pointed out it’s impossible to predict future performance. Yet the practice continues for teachers to ration their efforts to those they predict will most benefit, ignoring the fact that prediction is impossible. Parents do this as well. I get that music lessons are wasted on the tone deaf. Can teachers (and parents) taught to understand their role in opening opportunities to their student and children? Can they understand that their attempts at predicting the unpredictable reduces their overall effectiveness at teaching? Teachers take such pride in their top performing students it blinds them to the students who will be the future leaders and millionaires. My best teachers made eye contact with me, the often non ‘A’ student. They answered questions honestly, even with ‘I don’t know’. They took notice of my work and made suggestions. What type of teacher or parent are you? Are you able to improve?

[@muskepticsometimes9133]

You can't predict future but there is correlation, good grades n test results are correlated w achievement. That said teachers should be judged on class as a whole

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

Now, this is what I call a Really Good Question.

[@Fritz999]

Ignorance is growing by leaps and bounds. We may as well be honest and fully appreciate the part religion plays in the furthering of voluntary ignorance.

[@just09ee]

"The bulimic method of education, we just jam a whole bunch of facts down there throats over here, and then they puke it up on an exam over here and everybody goes home with no added intellectual heft what so ever".

[@doubloongoonsquad]

Friere called this the "banking method" of education.

[@bransonwu9307]

timestamp?

[@darrenengels9584]

I can not speak for anyone but me. I possess two undergraduate degrees. The courses I studied were filled with myriad facts and information. But by far the most valuable thing I took from my years in school was one, the ability to learn on my own, and two, how to think critically. These are the gifts of a higher education. Without them, modern humanity is like a raft without sail or oars, simply adrift, at the whim of an ocean of information and disinformation, without direction, floundering ever near the rocks.

[@willchristie2650]

As a post graduate person, I've forgotten more information than I ever learned. The whole goal was to learn enough to spew it out on a test, then forget it so I could have space for the next class. Part of this is that we are forced to take certain classes "for our own good". But if I have no interest in a topic, I will simply trudge through it, spew out the information when required to do so, then dump it all because the topic never interested me.

[@darrenengels9584]

@@willchristie2650 "So I could have space", an interesting concept I have not come across conversing with any post graduate student. Thank you for that insight.

[@FriedSynapse]

This guy is awesome. I wish I could attend his classes.

[@pboston6RR]

INtresting to see someone taking old sayings and making a TED presentation by framing it differently. “He who knows not and knows not is a fool. He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a student, teach him. He who knows and knows that he knows is wise, follow him”. Or perhaps, “the more I know about something the more I realize that I don’t know”. If you really don’t have an answer just say “God knows”, and the problem is solved. So let’s all skip education and go into the tabernacle and prostrate ourselves and everything will get better. Just like Afghanistan. As a former teacher I bristle at those who are not educators making blanket statements about those who are. The weeding metaphor is an example. Perhaps the idea of sifting is better. When we are looking for scientists, choose those that have maintained that childlike curiosity but are still able to sort results into piles of information graded by their validity and general relationship to each other. And another pile for “gosh, I don’t know, but perhaps that’s my problem, not theirs. Save them for anther sift, but above all don’t discard them. People always seek answers. When we have valid scientific information, like “that red glowing object will probably burn me. Let’s either let it alone or approach carefully.” When we don’t have an answer make one up and see who believes it. If we are really clever we can ascribe qualities that reflect the notion of a deity and ask the gathered “seekers of truth” for money. Seems to have worked many times and we can even get the gathered multitudes to submit to otherwise foolish regimens and reduce their curiosity to saying “Gods will.” Anyway, this was an interesting TED talk that stimulated my 83 year old brain to reflect on the many things that it still doesn’t know. Thanks

[@oodoodanoo2346]

The reason no one describes science as "the pursuit of ignorance" to the general public is that they wouldn't give you any money if they heard that. They still wouldn't after understanding what that meant. Now, describe it as "the pursuit of bigger TVs and fat-free chicken nuggets", and you might have a shot.

[@antthunder3898]

I like chicken nuggets

[@austinbrod]

Frogged same

[@theincandescentman685]

%001

[@haroldcampbell3337]

Typical condescension

[@DandyLion.Wishes]

I'm fine with ignorance when it is simply the lack of knowledge, of not knowing, so long as it leads to curiosity and guides the person to learning. My favorite quote are my own words when asked what I learned on graduating massage therapy school. "I learned enough to know that I don't know enough." All my years, no matter that my practice grew so well, I continued my education because there is always more to learn to help others.

[@glenhill9884]

Great talk, and I have a science background, so he challenged me with some of his perceptions. But he ended far too short. Don't say a small taste of fixing the system and run away. Provide possible solutions, too.

[@arthurrsaker8893]

Don't solutions arise because someone asked the right questions, to provoke the curiosity, genius, and sometimes even raw intuition of other scientists and engineers. It seems to me that asking the question is the vital first step towards the solution. Thus I see no fault in asking questions for which one is unable to provide a solution. Isn't that how the sum of knowledge accumulates and progresses?

[@droman655]

That is the problem with 'so called'' scientists today...they have taken a side & are proposing solutions...when that happens the tendency is to lose objectivity.

[@rwdmediahd]

TED Talks are a brain massage

[@RoderBrent]

@James DeGamma Seems his talk might just be abt. people like you.

[@kbanghart]

When I saw this headline, I immediately realized that it is so true, considering a lot of these morons elected Trump

[@falsename6090]

@Roder Brent I don't understand quite you mean by that.

[@claireconover]

they used to be… now, they’re full of pseudoscience and straight-up nonsense.

[@kbanghart]

@@claireconover depends on which ones you're talking about

[@glebealyth]

On the back of a box of matches, in 1971, appeared the following: "The realisation of Ignorance is the beginning of Knowledge." I regularly realise how ignorant I am, despite what I know.

[@multivariateperspective5137]

Where was a teacher like this when I was in school? I hated school because the teachers refused to acknowledge their own ignorance and humanity’s ignorance

[@ILoveyouMoreLOL]

My teacher showed this to us to get us thinking questions and making them into testable predictions... or hypothesis. Brilliant video.

[@rickandrius2737]

*hypotheses 🙄

[@musselchee9560]

...'for an indefinite period'... I've been pursuing a particular conundrum for half my long life. I left no stone unturned, I searched in every nook and cranny, as I continued spiralling down, down, down, the years passing, the light fading. Despairingly I thought I'd go to my grave with the issue unresolved. A little over ten years ago a barely discernible upward turn occurred. It was slight but it was heading in a direction which I'd been 'restlessly searching' for, as my therapist at the time put it. Two days ago my long search had whitted down to one unavoidable question. Last night I concluded it. The long and short of it is I have let go. I have left a painful relationship. This talk cleared away the final vestiges of doubt, and given me autumnal possibilities. Cheers big ears.

[@svdumitrescu]

Remarkable, enlightening. Congrats TED, best regards Professor Firestein

[@D0praise]

“The hardest thing for a mind to do, that is what we should be focusing on.” I propose it is effectively communicating a concept to a closed mind. That is the present day life or death dilemma

[@pinco40]

I do so wish I'd watched this at the beginning of my teaching career!! Everything he said about how we deliver education (especially to 12 to 18 years old) it's exactly why I became so disillusioned with teaching!

[@msmith53]

THEN, You needed to correct it, not be “disillusioned”. You are a master in your own classroom! That is still one of our advantages! (I taught for 40 yrs.)

[@landonedwards7504]

Bravo, Dr Firestein! In the Dark Ages of Biology (early 1970s), I had the pleasure of doing some independent undergrad studies under the auspices of one Dr. Kenneth K. Asplund at Virginia Commonwealth University. His role as my Independent Study advisor was to prod me into exploring questions I'd never considered. Or thought of. His approach, both in our 1-on-1 as well as his classroom lectures in Comparative Anatomy and Ecology, was to present factual current knowledge and use it as the basis for probing questions that required us to go deeper. To ask the questions not yet thought of. My interactions with Dr. Asplund, as I'm sure the interactions of your colleagues with you, provided the most stimulating, the most enjoyable, and the most meaningful search for knowledge I can imagine. That's the ultimate learning experience! Decades later, someone attached the term "stem cells" to work I did under his guidance.

[@gspaulsson]

Science is organized, systematic trial and error. People have been doing it since some early human banged two stones together and discovered that one of them shed a flake with a sharp edge.

[@gregchambers6100]

I'm an electrician, applied physicist if you will. Knowledge is great but more importantly it's what you are using it for to make the world a better place. I can't answer how many lives I've saved but what disturbs me is how many I've saved that I shouldn't have. Our work must be based on certainty, but occasionally we get into what the wise professor longs for, and what we long for; a situation or condition that exceeds our present capability; the unknown.

[@percival1137]

"He who claims to know, knows not. He who claims to know not, knows all." So, yeah, there's that...

[@bigmatze9375]

Ok. Robotics. "Walking on two legs not achieved." That TED talk was 2013. Asimo (Honda) was capable of robotic bi-pedal movement and was presented in 2000. Atlas (Boston Dynamics), the successor of Petman, was presented in - funnily enough - 2013. First the pond-based analogy and now this: I kinda start to get it why this man is an expert on ignorance.

[@Thebrightat]

By far one of The BEST discussion so far! Thank you for putting this out there !

[@garicrewsen1128]

It's as if this were just published yesterday. (1-14-22)

[@TheWorldBelow360]

This guy’s just farting around…on a stage…with a mic…in the light…and cool graphics…and props…and anecdotes…and quotes…so he IS proving the point.

[@Alejandro388]

absolutely, he goes on glorifying his own beliefs in ignorance, his fundamentalist anti-science nuttiness... TED has no shortage of such wackos, too bad they get the most views and clicks

[@TheWorldBelow360]

He makes it seem like there is no real scrutiny once something has been detected. It may not be quick, but fools rush in…

[@bradscharf3125]

Excellent Talk. I'm always amazed by genius and it's limits. Ignorance has no limits.

[@msmith53]

I think you mean “stupidity” ‘tis no disgrace to be ignorant, only to remain that way!

[@arthurrsaker8893]

Mis-quoting Einstein, does not burnish your image. It looks pseudo.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

Its funny, As a student, I had difficulty engaging in class. It was Terrible. I dropped out as soon as it was legal, I even got emancipated to facilitate times passage into that day.. Everyone from my Mother to my peers said as a high school dropout I would never get out of the McDonalds drive through. By 17 I had sold my first business and had the opportunity to dive into everything that interested me,. Over time, as the internet grew and the facts slowly became "Unsellable" My inquiry increased with the access to the facts. My business and personal ventures simply followed suit to the point that in less than 20 years, I retired at 35 and put my Mom in one of my Houses. If School would have allowed me to Explore what interested me at the time, I "think" I would have graduated college at 22-25 with multi masters degrees in all sorts of subjects. After hearing this talk, I am convinced I would have come out with my sense of Inquiry intact as well as retaining my well rounded knowledge base of "Things in general". I think It is time for us to change our approach to education and allow the kids to explore fully and unbridled by Our imaginary expectations. Far too often we push kids into some imagined need to fulfill a task or "Purpose" in society as the actual needs of that society go unchanged and thus, unchallenged . Education is very important but without Inquiry, it is simply Stupidity.

[@Argonaut121]

The more we know the more we realize what we don’t know.

[@bgoodfella7413]

Essentially this speech is ONE VERY LONG WINDED way of just saying "Seek the Unknown".

[@paulseidl4335]

Very well said...excellent use of language to give dissertation on using cognitive reasoning to solve mysteries & questions of general knowledge or special interests...the road to discovery!

[@Constitution1789]

I used to teach the children of refugees. Whenever I tried to sit the children together in a circle and encourage them to ask questions about reality or the universe, the school would stop me. The administration demanded that I help them memorize facts for their tests instead of getting them to ask unanswered questions which wouldn't be on their tests. Seriously. So I'm impressed that this man raised this particular issue quite well. He's right in many ways, and it wasn't until today that I realized just how wrong our educational system is. He confirmed that what I tried to do back then was actually the right thing to do.

[@martinoid-_-6800]

for me one of the best TED talks. Thank you really much!

[@webstercat]

Ted Talks all the right answers from the most educated people to the most enlightened. I especially enjoyed Ghislaine Maxwell & Elizabeth Holmes presentations.

[@LuisReyes-to7fn]

If you can't find their Ted Talks in youtube just write "how to help your friends make "new" friends and make it a business" or Holmes Ted Talk "How I pretended to be Steve Jobs and everyone bought it".

[@joeking1019]

Nice logical explanation. but in my mind, ignorance is measured by the ability to ignore something

[@raygutoski5765]

An educated man has amassed a lot of knowledge. A wise and a great man knows how to create the most value for himself and others and society with the knowledge he has.

[@chill187]

"I like to quote because I don't think dead people should be excluded from the conversation, and I also think it's important to realise that the conversation has been going on for a while by the way" - Stuart Firestein 2013

[@janman55]

This guy is preaching to the choir of people who value science and education. Unfortunately too many people relish in their ignorance and look down on science, particularly when it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

[@rich64bit]

great talk, this guy makes me want to love science again

[@decimusrex92]

Why didn't you love science before?

[@PeterJames143]

He's a great teacher, funny and engaging. He seems unaware that Boston Dynamics and Sony, probably among others, had already produced functional bipedal robots. In July of 2013 Boston Dynamics had made Atlas. ASIMO was made by Sony in 2000, and it was dancing in 2008 or possibly before.

[@brucewilson1958]

Among my favorite quotes, from my all time favorite thinker and writer; Shoghi Effendi, 1897-1957, Guardian of the Baha'i Faith from 1921-1957. "Motive is everything." This quote, I believe, holds the key to uncovering the truth of Human Knowledge.

[@blainelanders2361]

I have always struggled with this question: What is the best thing to think about at any given moment.

[@nik8468]

For me , my mind just goes off thinking random wierd things . Cant really focus on thinking one thing for a brief period of time .

[@7788Sambaboy]

"The ability to frame thoughtful, interesting questions"

[@nika_]

one of my favorite Ted talks of all time

[@dianeneill499]

Started arguing with my son about the laws of physics. I'm ignorant of most of them but it's good to see I'm on the right track!

[@mentonerodominicano]

There have been many talks about the focus of weeding evaluation in the education system, how little curiosity is sparked in classrooms and how little feedback teachers get these days.

[@garicrewsen1128]

And while educational weeding is in greater force than ever there has emerged the more direct and insidious mechanism surrounding one's personal choice to be inoculated. (1-14-22)

[@daffidkane8350]

I always hated school. It was not even the force feeding of facts. It was in the beating of curiosity out of young curious minds. Students who ask questions, even stupid questions, are pursuing knowledge, pushing outwards the boundaries of their ignorance. It should not matter if the boundary is tight or wide, each child is different but they all want the same thing, to learn.

[@SuperAA1989]

Remarkably addressed Sir , Thank you

[@frankarena6361]

This is much like exploring the endless universe. Its an infinite kaleidoscope of factors and thought and . . . . everything that goes with that!

[@northcacalacka545]

Man, I could listen to guys like this all day! I don't know many folks who can talk that good.

[@banban8481]

My interest in science actually sparked by one teacher, in fact he's not a teacher by trade. He's a chemist who have a free time and choose become a teacher. He doesn't have a formal training but he teach really amazing, he really curious about the topic at hand and make us also curious.

[@petertrebilco9430]

Children go through developmental stages, one of which is the ‘wanting to break things down to see how they work’ stage (not its official name). Their ultimate disinterest in science is less about the failure of science to make itself attractive (which it is, unarguably), and more about two realities: one is that children are later in a different developmental stage, with different interests. The other is the economic reality of employability. Science has a desperately low presence in the scheme of ‘future-planning’. What’s missing in science’s image is a visible career path. Science is very closely associated with universities and not everyone imagines a future as an academic. Of those who do, not everyone imagines a future as a scientist. Science is of course a vitally important aspect of human development but it suffers from the aforementioned characteristics, in my opinion.

[@anthonymitchell9793]

As a former science teacher, part of the problem is a litigious society has put such a focus on Health and Safety that experimentation in elementary and high schools is greatly inhibited. We are almost to where we are WHMISing salt. Stimulating the mind to gain knowledge in order to see more ignorance requires stimulating the mind and that cant be done through a text book or videos.

[@robertlewis9132]

I've recognized as long as I remember that all questions lead to more questions. But at some point we have to draw a conclusion. As far as his conclusions he is not wrong. But the real question is HOW to "light the fire"? I recall years ago how young people could quote a movie simply because it held their interest. Though there are many people who love to learn, most people just want to be entertained and interested. When learning is not a chore it is much more effective for most people. Early on we start with basic information that represent the tools of learning, after which we try to focus them and steer their usage into some kind of success. And of course, we do well with some while others are simply not engaged. It is of course always easy to identify our shortcomings while the challenge is to find solutions not so much. Especially on a societal scale, and especially when a society has such dysfunction as ours.

[@pistoleroshooter2575]

Not only a highly intelligent man, but a superbly gifted speaker. It was a pleasure to listen to you and to understand how correct you are. Thank you.

[@yagobatistasilva]

absolutely brilliant. I loved, he just said most of the things that i´m been thinking for most of my life

[@josevinagre9950]

LOVE this Lecture. I had Mostly Good Teachers, and One in Particular, Mr. Robert M., Challenged me to Write a Book in My Senior Year. What a Spark in My Education!!!

[@EcoutieKtn]

What an excellent talk. I love science. My fire is lit... I hope it never goes out.

[@andykjm]

From an engineering perspective, and over-simplified, it is obvious that we can tell the difference because the way smell works is by detecting shapes. It's a lock and key mechanism. When the key hits the right lock, it signals your brain allowing you to perceive the smell and associated objects from prior experience

[@garicrewsen1128]

If you ever review this reply, I'm curious what you think about anosmia (loss of sense of smell) as a result of being infected with COVID-19?

[@osks]

Outstanding and provocatively thought provoking! Thank you

[@rodiculous9464]

Interesting how this has aged, he said there's no robots that can walk on 2 legs but now 8 years later we have those Boston dynamic things that can do that and even backflips

[@jamesgrey13]

Let's fart in the dark and light a fire!! **explosion**

[@johnmcclain2848]

I thought science was banning dissenting voices from professions, debates, and polite society? That's what the last 2 years taught me

[@MichaelBrown-uu9kt]

He said that "The Bulemic Method of Education" cannot go on. As long as there are tenured professors, a teachers' union, and gov control of educational institutions, it WILL go on. It will never change.

[@RichardAlsenz]

This is what you need to know from Gauss: "Space does not exist"' Gauss to Bessel Goettingen 9 April 1830 … The ease with which you delved into my views on geometry gives me real joy, given that so few have an open mind for such. My innermost conviction is that the study of space is a priori completely different than the study of magnitudes; our knowledge of the former (space) is missing that complete conviction of necessity (thus of absolute truth) that is characteristic of the latter; we must in humility admit that if number is merely a product of our mind.

[@shubhama.dekatey2325]

Great talk, the facts and the content is unquestionably fabulous, but the humor added some extra flare.

[@garicrewsen1128]

And now is also timeless.

[@AlistairAVogan]

I question its fabulousness.

[@newfreenayshaun6651]

I remember in school I had one or two science teachers that had this same sense of humor. It is a key element in making sure you all are paying attention all the way through the lesson but also because the professor needs to stay awake as well. Without this manner of joking, no joke, you would not be able to take him seriously.

[@athnealerodney]

An absolutely brilliant presentation, sir...

[@robbsaid610]

"You can know someone's extent of intelligence but the depth of someone's ignorance could be infinite."

[@justsomebloke6784]

It has long been my contention that the earlier stages of our education actively teach us not to think; if you escape with the nascent ability to think critically you are almost a failure of the system.

[@TheIDGE]

I developed a theory years ago about people and ignorance. It's along the lines of "Only intelligent people understand how much they don't know". Sounds like the concept of "conscious ignorance" Mr. Firestein spoke of.

[@Trowlify]

*You know what, ignorance is not bliss. It is the cause of all misery. Knowing the truth of life gives you the greatest fulfillment of life that anyone can get.* _IF you want to know more about this truth, go to truthcontest◘com and read "The Present." It tells you that _*_DIRECTLY_*

[@MrDavidBFoster]

The ignorant will tell you otherwise.

[@veranochick]

But then again, knowing too much can make you miserable too.

[@willm5814]

The ego loves knowing stuff - but mainly knowing something the person your talking to doesn’t know.

[@EebstertheGreat]

I know more than everything about less than nothing.

[@highcaliber350]

i know less than everything about more than nothing

[@tag7299]

Hardly an achievement.