Conversation with Richard Saul Wurman "One Way": Richard Saul Wurman at TEDxGrandRapids

TEDx Talks

16 Jun 201438:04

EducationalLearning

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TLDRRichard Saul Wurman, the creator of TED, gave an insightful yet lighthearted talk reflecting on concepts of ignorance, understanding, and innovation. He discussed embracing one's own ignorance as empowering, emphasized relativity in comprehension, and theorized on categories of innovation like 'addition' and 'opposites'. Wurman also covered varied topics like architecture, problems with public speaking, the history of the printing press, and unintended consequences of inventions. The talk revealed his wit and wisdom gained from a lifetime of prolific work.

Takeaways

😊 He believes speakers should come from everywhere in the audience because there shouldn't be a 'safe' seat or place.
😮 He is fascinated by the question 'What is life?' and how people with vastly different perspectives would answer it differently.
🤔 He finds embracing ignorance empowering and uses it to fuel learning and improvement every day.
👀 He prefers keeping the house lights on so he can see the audience and gauge if they are listening.
😠 He dislikes formal titles and typical conference formalities that create barriers between people.
🎓 His commencement speech focused on architects that went from niche expertise to broad generalists over time.
😲 He sees most innovation as combinations of existing things (additions), rather than wholly new inventions.
😎 He aims to create an exhibit comparing cities using consistent data and scales for better understanding.
📚 He credits Gutenberg's methods for spacing between letters, not just the printing press itself, as most innovative.
🥳 The video ends on a musical birthday tribute to him, highlighting his contradictions but ultimately his embrace of life.

Q & A

Who is Richard Saul Wurman?
-Richard Saul Wurman is the speaker in the transcript, known for his contributions to the fields of architecture and design, as well as for founding the TED conference.
What is the significance of singing a good morning song on the bus, according to Wurman?
-Wurman used singing a good morning song as a metaphor for starting new things with positivity and engagement, illustrating the importance of beginning each day with a sunshiny disposition.
Why does Wurman believe that speakers should come from everywhere in the audience?
-Wurman believes that speakers coming from within the audience removes the barrier between the speaker and the audience, fostering a more inclusive and interactive environment where ideas can be shared freely.
What does Wurman think about the format of TEDx events compared to the original TED conferences?
-While initially skeptical, Wurman acknowledges the success and value of TEDx events in bringing local communities together and providing a platform for sharing ideas, praising their ability to surprise and exceed expectations.
How does Wurman view the concept of asking 'What's life?' in relation to diverse perspectives?
-Wurman sees the question 'What's life?' as a fundamental inquiry that yields vastly different answers based on each individual's background, beliefs, and experiences, highlighting the complexity and subjectivity of human understanding.
What is Wurman's stance on badges and introductions at conferences?
-Wurman criticizes the practice of using first names on badges and superficial introductions at conferences, advocating for more meaningful interactions that go beyond surface-level acquaintance.
How does Wurman define innovation, and what acronym does he use to explain it?
-Wurman defines innovation through the acronym ANOSE (Addition, Need, Opposites, Subtraction, Epiphany), suggesting that true innovation can come from adding, fulfilling a need, considering opposites, subtracting, or having an epiphany.
What critique does Wurman have about the Gutenberg Bible and its implications for information accessibility?
-Wurman admires the Gutenberg Bible for its typographical achievements but criticizes the initial lack of accessibility and usability, such as the absence of page numbers, which limited its function as a tool for finding information.
What is the Urban Observatory, as mentioned by Wurman?
-The Urban Observatory is a project initiated by Wurman aimed at comparing and understanding urban spaces through standardized data visualization, enhancing the ability to make informed decisions based on comparisons between cities.
How does Wurman approach the concept of ignorance in his speech?
-Wurman embraces his ignorance as a source of strength and a foundation for learning and discovery, arguing that acknowledging one's ignorance is key to pursuing knowledge and understanding the world more fully.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Introductory thoughts on speaking and connections

Richard Saul Wurman introduces some ideas about public speaking, making connections between disparate topics, the value of 'not knowing', and themes for conferences. He emphasizes embracing ignorance, removing assumptions, and making space for open and meaningful conversations.

05:01

❓ Pondering the simple but complex question 'What's life?'

Wurman ponders how different people like the Pope, a scientist, or a murderer would answer the basic question 'What's life?'. Their answers would differ based on their perspectives and what they think they should say.

10:02

🤝 On learning, teachers, and the journey into 'not knowing'

Wurman discusses his teacher Lou Kahn and the idea of a teacher allowing students to embrace not knowing, rather than necessarily teaching expertise. This permission supports students becoming more fully themselves.

15:10

😅 On risk, dying, and the delight of not knowing

Wurman shares his delight in risk and not knowing what he'll say on stage. He discusses being 'unemployable', envying being asked to do new things before he dies, and seeking the 'terror' of new challenges.

20:11

❓ A theory of innovation - the NOSE acronym

Wurman shares his NOSE theory of innovation: combining things through Addition, addressing Needs, considering Opposites/unexpected perspectives, Subtracting assumptions, and Epiphanies of discovery.

25:13

📚 Gutenberg and the printing press - addition and unintended consequences

Wurman discusses Gutenberg's innovative addition of movable type and the unintended consequences of enabling indulgences, which partly fueled Martin Luther's reformation.

30:20

🌆 On comparing cities and understanding relatively

Wurman introduces his urban observatory project to compare global cities. He notes cities can't be understood in isolation but only relatively through comparison on multiple dimensions.

35:20

🥳 Lighthearted birthday song for Wurman

The video closes with a birthday song for Wurman, celebrating his curiosity, creativity, family, and embrace of not knowing.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Innovation

Innovation is central to Richard Saul Wurman's discussion, where he differentiates between true innovation and incremental change. He suggests that most things labeled as 'innovation' are actually just improvements on existing ideas. Wurman introduces the concept of 'A NOSE' (Addition, Need, Opposites, Subtraction, Epiphany) as a framework to understand how genuine innovation can occur, using examples like the automobile and the iPhone to illustrate innovations that combine existing elements in new ways. This concept underscores the importance of looking beyond the surface to understand the real impact and origin of innovations.

💡TED Conferences

TED Conferences are brought up by Wurman as an example of an innovative platform for sharing ideas. He discusses his role in creating TED, emphasizing the event's departure from traditional conferences by eliminating 'safe seats' and encouraging speakers from diverse backgrounds. This approach to the conference design reflects Wurman's broader philosophy on innovation and interaction, highlighting the significance of creating spaces where knowledge and ideas can be shared freely and unpredictably.

💡Ignorance

Wurman celebrates ignorance not as a lack but as an opportunity for learning and exploration. He claims that acknowledging one's ignorance is a powerful tool for growth, enabling an individual to approach life with curiosity and openness. By embracing ignorance, Wurman suggests that we can continually challenge ourselves to learn and adapt, making it a cornerstone of personal and professional development. This perspective is a recurring theme throughout his talk, encouraging the audience to question, explore, and embrace the unknown.

💡Conversation

Conversation is highlighted by Wurman as a fundamental method of exchanging ideas and learning. He stresses the importance of genuine interaction and the exchange of ideas as mechanisms for innovation and understanding. By advocating for a conversational approach to presentations and learning, Wurman emphasizes the value of dialogue over monologue, suggesting that true insight comes from the dynamic interplay of perspectives and experiences.

💡Details

Wurman points out that everything is a detail and that attention to these details can reveal deeper insights into common experiences and objects. This focus on the minutiae encourages a closer examination of our surroundings and the ideas we encounter, promoting a deeper understanding of complex concepts through the examination of their components. This approach is reflective of Wurman's broader methodology, where scrutinizing the specific can lead to broader generalizations and understandings.

💡Learning

Learning, according to Wurman, is a personal journey that can be facilitated but not forced by others. He reflects on his own experiences with his teacher, Lou Kahn, to illustrate that true learning comes from the opportunity to explore one's own ignorance and curiosity. This concept challenges traditional notions of education and mentorship, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and personal exploration in the learning process.

💡Jokes

Jokes are used by Wurman to illustrate how humor can reveal profound truths and insights. He suggests that the construction of a joke—often based on the subversion of expectations or presenting a radical alternative—mirrors the process of innovation and discovery. This analogy highlights how unexpected connections and perspectives can lead to significant revelations and learning moments.

💡Connection

Connection is a recurring theme in Wurman's talk, emphasizing the importance of linking ideas, people, and experiences in meaningful ways. By advocating for the interconnectedness of knowledge across different disciplines and perspectives, Wurman suggests that understanding and innovation are often the result of seeing the relationships between seemingly disparate elements. This approach to knowledge and learning underlines the value of interdisciplinary thinking and the potential for creativity that lies in making unexpected connections.

💡TEDx

TEDx events are discussed by Wurman as an extension of the original TED Conference's ideals, localized to communities around the world. Initially skeptical, Wurman acknowledges the value of these events in fostering local innovation and community engagement. This reflection on TEDx serves to illustrate the scalability of good ideas and the potential for grassroots movements to effect change and spread knowledge.

💡Urban Observatory

The Urban Observatory is mentioned by Wurman as a project aimed at comparing cities across different metrics to understand urban environments in relation to each other. This initiative embodies Wurman's belief in the power of comparative analysis and visualization to reveal insights about cities and urban planning. By making complex data accessible and understandable, the Urban Observatory exemplifies Wurman's broader commitment to making information clear and useful for decision-making and insight.

Highlights

Proposes a new deep learning architecture called Capsule Networks to model hierarchical relationships

Capsule Networks outperform CNNs on highly overlapped digit classification

Routing-by-agreement allows multiple capsules to agree on the existence of an entity

Decoder network encourages capsules to encode meaningful representations

Dynamic routing algorithm allows capsules to learn part-whole relationships

Capsules more robust to affine transformations compared to CNNs

Capsule Networks have fewer parameters than CNNs

Margin loss used for classification instead of reconstruction loss

Capsules learn more meaningful semantic representations

Capsule Networks have great potential for computer vision tasks

Dynamic routing allows specialization of capsules

Equivariance of capsules helps preserve spatial relationships

Limitations include computational cost and reliance on routing

Future work could explore unsupervised capsule training

Capsule Networks are a promising new architecture for AI

Transcripts

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