Methods for maintenance of cognitive diversity

Kevin Zollman (Carnegie Mellon University)

Kevin Zollman, Carnegie Mellon University

Title: Methods for maintenance of cognitive diversity

Abstract: Science benefits from diversity of opinion.  When opinions become too homogenized, fewer theories are explored and occasionally true theories fall through the cracks.  There is a limit, of course, to the degree of diversity that is beneficial: we don't need flat earth physicists around. So, the question becomes how do we maintain an optimal, or near optimal, degree of diversity in a scientific community.  This talk will explore a variety of suggestions present in the literature and compare their effectiveness to one another.