Today we have Matt Ridley on the podcast. Matt is the author of the recently-released How Innovation Works, as well as The Rational Optimist and several other books related to science and human progress, which have sold over a million copies. He is also a biologist, newspaper columnist, and member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. Topics [02:10] What it means to be a rational optimist [04:01] Evidence that the world is heading in the right direction [06:23] Giving evidence-based hope [09:09] Understanding the probabilities of life [10:39] "It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble; it’s what you think you know that ain’t so" [14:39] Why nuance is an endangered species [16:49] The reward value to truthful or insightful information [18:39] How not everybody is wired to create [20:25] Working with restricted samples [23:07] Does the lone genius really exist? [26:45] Working with naturally occurring samples versus working with restricted samples [31:43] Why stories don’t necessarily mean generalizable truths about innovation [33:16] The need to look out for unexpected results [34:12] Separating the person from the process [35:13] The phenomenon of simultaneous inventions [39:58] Why innovation requires freedom [42:07] Why innovators crave the safe space to fail [44:13] The government’s role in innovation [48:53] Biology as the science of exceptions and not rules Subscribe to The Psychology Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/psychology-podcast-dr.-scott/id942777522 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-psychology-podcast-with-scott-barry-kaufman/the-psychology-podcast-with-dr-scott-barry-kaufman?refid=stpr See past episodes and join in the Discussion: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepsychologypodcast?ref=br_tf Twitter: https://twitter.com/psychpodcast #ThePsychologyPodcast