Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Our Sunday Service: August 2nd
Summary:
Making models is a fundamental part of the engineering profession, which I teach. However, very similar mental models are also used by everyone, every day. They can be mathematical, metaphorical, or otherwise constructed, and they help us make decisions about what to do in life situations.
Mental models also, in part, define how we will react to others' responses to situations they are facing. Mental models are valuable because of their predictive abilities, but what happens when they are not completely apt? From defining the purpose of language to strategizing the most effective way to be a teacher to reflecting on how we view our fellow citizens, the models we choose to allow ourselves to use make a difference.
This talk will foreground some of the culturally persistent models we may have running around in our minds and look at their implications in certain situations. We might also add some more recent ideas about the ethics of care into the conversation.
Our Sunday Service: August 2nd
Summary:
Making models is a fundamental part of the engineering profession, which I teach. However, very similar mental models are also used by everyone, every day. They can be mathematical, metaphorical, or otherwise constructed, and they help us make decisions about what to do in life situations.
Mental models also, in part, define how we will react to others' responses to situations they are facing. Mental models are valuable because of their predictive abilities, but what happens when they are not completely apt? From defining the purpose of language to strategizing the most effective way to be a teacher to reflecting on how we view our fellow citizens, the models we choose to allow ourselves to use make a difference.
This talk will foreground some of the culturally persistent models we may have running around in our minds and look at their implications in certain situations. We might also add some more recent ideas about the ethics of care into the conversation.
