Ep. 74 ‘The Half-Life of Facts’ with Samuel Arbesman

Has every fact we’ve ever known undergone revision or reversal?


It’s a provocative and consequential idea, and one that
complexity scientist Samuel Arbesman argues has some truth to it
— even if he wouldn’t state it that strongly. On today’s episode
of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, we talk with Arbesman
about his 2012 book, The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We
Know Has an Expiration Date.


If facts about our world are constantly shifting, shouldn’t the
protection of free speech — the right to openly question the
world and all we believe about it — become even more critical? We
explore what, if any, implications Arbesman’s argument has for
those who care about free speech and open inquiry.


Show notes:


Podcast transcript

http://www.Arbesman.net

“World citation and collaboration networks: uncovering the
role of geography in science”

“Non-compete Agreements: Barriers to Entry … and Exit?”

“How a Copyright Mistake Created the Modern Zombie”



“Undiscovered Public Knowledge” by Don R. Swanson


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