The Joy of True Mental Effort
The People Who Will Thrive in the AI Age By David Brooks What will differentiate people is not how smart they are but their relationship to mental effort.
Key points
- The Work of the Brain What I Learned at a Drunk-Math Party By Lila Shroff AI might be taking over mathematics research, but there is reason for hope when it comes to the uniquely human love of numbers.
- “Maybe the future is to be found in the drunk part of the drunk-math party—not in the encouragement of drunkenness itself, but in the partnership that I encounter when I ask my teammates for help.” Today’s newsletter explores how to fully engage the brain, and the value of doing that alongside other people.
- This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight.
In Lila’s delightful story, she spends time with the people who remain devoted to the joy of doing math, even as AI transforms the field.
Working with numbers means something different to each mathematician she speaks with—some delight in the purity of knowing there’s one right answer; for others, it’s the adrenaline rush of solving a problem.
Additional details
- “What do crossword puzzles really test?”: In 2024, Sophia Stewart explored the case for puzzles that reflect a broader sense of common knowledge.
- It was missing a huge chunk of one wing but was still going and was lovely as ever.” I’ll continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks.
- That kind of collaboration will become even more important as math evolves and becomes more accessible to the public, Lila writes.
- Other Diversions Zelda ’s midlife crisis The writer who made food fun An offbeat director worth your time PS Courtesy of Andrea W.
- The event is exactly what it sounds like: libations and collaborative attempts to solve math and logic problems.
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