Mar 30 2013: This whole argument is not so theoretical as everyone is making it. We brought the peregrine falcon (one of the most beautiful and evolved species on the planet) back from the edge of extinction. In California there was only a handful of birds thirty years ago and now there is a healthy self sustaining population thru the banning of certain pesticides and captive breeding and release of birds. The environment is not so messed up as all of the hand wringers would have you believe. We just have to be careful and watchful. If we brought the passenger pigeon back I'm sure it would do just fine (and provide an additional food source for peregrines by the way). Of more of a concern to me is what happens when they start bringing neanderthals back.
Jun 29 2012: The talk was fine but he totally gets the whole thing about the mumuration (flock of starlings) wrong. A flock of starlings acts that way when pursued by a predator, just like bait fish with predatory fish, or herd mammals with herd predators. They aren't ganging up to scare off the predator but they are each acting individually to put the rest of the flock between themselves and the predator. The one shot where it looks like the flock is scaring off the predator is probably just the predator flying away with a starling in its feet. These large moving flocks also make it very difficult for the falcon to single out an individual starling from the flock but once they do they pursue that individual relentlessly. If you have ever watched a peregrine or a merlin work a flock of starlings you know that they aren't the least bit intimidated (perhaps confused or frustrated but not intimidated). Believe me I know, because as a falconer I have hunted these flocks of starlings with peregrines, merlins and prarie falcons and it is one of the most amazing predator/prey interactions in nature.
Mar 26 2012: It was a very good talk but he only mentioned Hospice once at the very end. My wife is a hospice nurse and they deal with these issues everyday. The way to solve the issues he brings up is more support for Hospices around the world.
Jan 20 2012: Tyler didn't miss the point. You did. You said "We learn best, hearing stories when they speak the truth" which is just the kind of dualistic thinking that Tyler said lowers the IQ by ten points. The "Truth", what truth?
May 12 2011: I would love to see more Ted Talks about spiritual or psychological subjects. The technology stuff is fine but the best ted talks are about us as humans such as " A Stroke of Insight"or the talks on Synthetic Happiness.
Apr 26 2011: Two years ago ( at the age of 53) I was at a party and I just sat and watched quietly instead of interacting as I normally would have. Over the next two days my mind slowing became very quiet and I went thru a profound change. Colors became brighter, tastes became more intense, everything was more beautiful and I was more in love with my wife of twenty years than I had ever been. I had previously been extremely interested in (and usually angry about) world affairs and politics but now I lost all interest in it, (I just found it boring). Over the following weeks and months I read spiritual books like a sponge.Nothing that happened at work or in life could really get me upset. I became very interested in Buddhism and have been studying and practising it ever since. The extreme change in my conciousness seemed to last for about three months and then slowly abated but I have never fully returned to my old self. I stopped all forms of news media and haven't read a paper or watched or listened to the news in almost two years and I've never been happier or more peaceful. I listen to Ted lectures voraciously because they are stimulating in a positive way. When my friends or family start talking about politics or world affairs I don't mind and I listen but it doesn't really affect me. I don't usually participate until the subject changes to human nature, spirituality or psychology and then I love talking about it. I really have no idea why this change occurred but I feel blessed and I'm so thankful that I have been given this gift. I'd love to hear from anybody else with a similar experience.
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A comment on Conversation: Science is developing the tools towards de-extinction of species on the planet that have become extinct. The question becomes; Should we?
A comment on Talk: Don Tapscott: Four principles for the open world
A comment on Talk: Peter Saul: Let’s talk about dying
A reply on Talk: Tyler Cowen: Be suspicious of stories
A comment on Conversation: Do you have a suggestion for TED? Something we could do better?
A comment on Conversation: When, How and Why have your most strongly held views changed?