ROTARY LUNCHEON: The Paradox Lab

We live in a time of fake news, political polarization, targeted social media, climate disputes, increasing job automation, and biased artificial intelligence. More than ever, today's youth need to cultivate an attitude of curiosity, the ability to recognize and challenge assumptions, be able to consider multiple hypotheses, evaluate evidence, express their own views, take the perspectives of others, and be willing to revise their ideas in light of challenges. Dr. Iris Oved, Founder and Executive Director of The Paradox Lab, will be sharing her work to nurture the cognitive and social skills in youth and give you an opportunity to participate in a short demo lesson.

Dr. Oved received her doctorate in Philosophy and Cognitive Science from Rutgers University in 2009 with a dissertation on human learning and a focus on concept acquisition through perception and language. She then spent two years as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in Machine Learning, helping to build ‘robot babies’ that learn about the world ways that human babies and the best scientists do. She then spent four years doing research in Developmental Psychology at UC San Diego and UC Berkeley to further study concept acquisition in preschool children. Along the way, she founded the Paradox Lab to share with children the joys of philosophical inquiry and develop their higher-level thinking skills.

The Paradox Lab (ParadoxLab.org) is a non-profit startup with the aim of nurturing these cognitive and social skills in Bay Area youth through philosophical inquiry, optical illusions, magic tricks, logic puzzles, brain science, and lessons in cognitive bias. It is founded by a team of philosophers, cognitive scientists, and educators each with 10+ years of experience developing tools to meet this mission.

The original speaker for today had to cancel due to a conflict.

Each luncheon ticket includes a three-course lunch. Tickets are $40 each; $35 for Club members who register online in advance (online registration closes at 5PM the day before the meeting). Payment by credit card or check is preferred. Tickets available for purchase only at the door.