The Sunday Brew #54
In this brew - Working hours vs Salary in a picture | Goodhart's Law & Pavlovian Association | OpenAI fires CEO, Starship test flight & UK approves CRISPR treatment
Welcome to The Sunday Brew, weekly 1-2-3 newsletter by The Percolator. Every Sunday we drop in your inbox 1 story in a picture, 2 concepts, ideas or frameworks to expand your horizons and 3 news from the week, to keep you updated.
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ONE STORY IN A PICTURE
TWO IDEAS, FRAMEWORKS OR CONCEPTS
This week we bring to you two concepts - Goodhart's Law & Pavlovian Association
Goodhart's Law
Goodhart's Law is a principle in economics and social sciences named after the economist Charles Goodhart. The law states that "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure."
In other words, the idea is that once a particular metric or indicator is used as a target for policy or decision-making, it can lead to behaviours that distort its accuracy. People may manipulate their actions to meet the target, which can undermine the effectiveness of the original measure. This concept is frequently applied in the context of economic indicators, such as inflation rates or unemployment figures.
Goodhart's Law highlights the challenges of relying solely on quantitative metrics for evaluation, as these metrics can lose their validity when they become the primary focus of attention and influence. It's an important consideration in various fields, including business, finance, and public policy, where the selection of performance metrics can have unintended consequences.
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Pavlovian Association
Pavlovian association, rooted in classical conditioning, is a fundamental concept in behavioural psychology pioneered by Ivan Pavlov through his seminal experiments with dogs.
Classical conditioning involves the establishment of associations between stimuli and responses. In Pavlov's experiments, he initially observed that dogs naturally salivated (unconditioned response) in response to the presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus). However, by repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus, such as a bell, with the food, he found that the dogs eventually started to salivate in response to the bell alone. The bell, initially insignificant, became a conditioned stimulus that triggered a learned response—the conditioned response of salivation. This phenomenon showcases the process by which organisms, including humans, form associations between environmental stimuli and automatic responses.
The principles of Pavlovian association extend beyond the laboratory setting, influencing our understanding of behaviour, learning, and the ways in which individuals and animals adapt to their surroundings. This classical conditioning paradigm has practical applications in psychology, education, and therapeutic interventions, offering insights into how behaviours can be modified through learned associations between stimuli and responses.
THREE NEWS FROM THE WEEK
OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman
In a surprising turn of events, the board of OpenAI - parent company of popular generative AI tool ChatGPT - fired its CEO & co-founder Sam Altman.
The company's board of directors stated that they lost confidence in Altman's ability to lead the company after he was found to be "not consistently candid in his communications with the board." The board did not elaborate on the specific nature of Altman's lack of candour.
Following Altman’s departure many senior executives including OpenAI’s President Greg Brockman have also resigned. Mira Murati, the CTO of OpenAI has taken over as the interim CEO. Read More »»»
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SpaceX launched its Second Starship Test Flight
SpaceX successfully launched its second Starship test flight on November 18. The uncrewed rocket lifted off from Starbase in Texas at 7:02 AM CT and reached an altitude of approximately 148 kilometres before the automated flight termination system (AFTS) was activated near second engine cut-off. Starship made it into space for the first time but did not re-enter in one piece. The AFTS was also activated on the booster shortly after stage separation resulting in "rapid unscheduled disassembly."
The test flight was a significant milestone for SpaceX, as it was the first time that the Starship had successfully reached space. The company plans to use the Starship to eventually transport humans to Mars and beyond. Read More»»»
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UK approves CRISPR based Gene Treatment
On November 16, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved a gene therapy for two blood disorders: sickle-cell disease and beta-thalassemia. The therapy, called Casgevy, is the first medicine to be licensed that uses the innovative gene-editing tool CRISPR, for which its inventors were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2020.
Casgevy works by correcting the genetic errors that cause sickle-cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Casgevy is administered as a single infusion into the bloodstream. The therapy has been shown to be effective in clinical trials, with patients experiencing significant improvements in their symptoms. Read More »»»
The Sunday Brew by The Percolator brings to you curated news on tech, business & entrepreneurship, from across the internet to give your week a perfect start.
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