The next event is on Thursday, October 8th:
LIRa session: Cailin O’Connor (UC Irvine)
Speaker: Cailin O’Connor (UC Irvine)
Date and Time: Thursday, October 8th 2026, 16:30-18:00
Venue: online only.
Title: Is Intransigence Good for Group Learning?
Abstract. A long history of thought holds that stubbornness can be good for science. If individual scientists stick to their theories, even when they are not the most promising, the entire community will consider a wide set of options, engage in debate over alternatives, and, ultimately, develop a better understanding of the world. This talk looks at network modeling to address the question: is intransigence good for group learning? The answer will be nuanced. A diverse set of models show how some intransigence can improve group consensus formation. But another set of results suggests that too much intransigence, or intransigence of a stronger form, can lead to polarization and poor outcomes.
More upcoming events:
- Thursday, October 29th, 13:00 - PhD defence Daniil Khaitovich and Workshop
- Thursday, November 12th, 16:30 - LIRa session: Munyque Mittelmann
- Thursday, November 26th, 16:30 - LIRa session: Wessel Kroon
- Friday, February 12th, 16:30 - Joint DIP-LIRa session: Vincent Hendricks