by Paul Spector | Jan 31, 2022 | Harm Reduction-Mental Health
Last week I finished reading a book on critical thinking called Factfulness by Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund. This wonderful book talks about 10 cognitive biases that lead us to make wrong inferences about the world, and how the world is in...
by Paul Spector | Jan 4, 2022 | Harm Reduction-Mental Health
The catchphrase that caught fire over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic is “follow the science”. The phrase simply means that private decisions and public policy should be evidence-based. Basing actions on available evidence increases our chances of having a...
by Paul Spector | Aug 25, 2021 | Robotics
I was reading the AP news feed and came across this article about how a man was sent to prison because of Artificial Intelligence, AI. An AI, developed by a software company using a secret algorithm, led prosecutors to believe the man, Michael Williams, committed...
by Paul Spector | Jul 12, 2021 | Harm Reduction-Mental Health
One of the things governments do is pass laws that prohibit behaviors that are widespread. In the U.S. we have seen prohibitions on alcohol and drug use, for example. The thinking is that by outlawing an activity, we will discourage people from engaging in it. Makes...
by Paul Spector | Jul 7, 2021 | Harm Reduction-Mental Health
Each year the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS projects the need for people in specific occupations. On the most recent list is substance abuse and mental health counselors. According to the BLS in 2019 there were nearly 320,000 counselors in the U.S out of a...
by Paul Spector | Jun 14, 2021 | Technological Innovation
I like to recycle. As someone who hates to waste things, the idea of reusing materials is appealing. Recycling is good for the environment and the recycling industry has created jobs, so it is good for the economy too. But recycling can be challenging. You really have...
