What I Read This Week...
Male and female brains are different, Google's DeepMind makes a breakthrough, and EV demand is slowing
Caught my eye…
Researchers have discovered small but systematic differences in the organization and function of the brain between men and women. Until now, policies focused on reducing gender differences in social outcomes have been underpinned by the belief that these are primarily driven by socially-imposed gender roles, not biology. If the primary driver is instead differences in the brain, it could raise significant questions about the wisdom of these policies.
Google’s DeepMind has built an AI system that can solve complex geometry problems, marking a significant leap forward in building AI models with human reasoning capabilities. Google’s model, named ‘AlphaGeometry’, uses both a natural language processing model and symbolic rule-based AI to make decisions.
Some of the largest traditional automakers including Ford, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep are pulling back on EV production, citing weaker than expected consumer demand. The news follows dramatic price cuts by Tesla in late 2023, which are undercutting the EV prices of traditional automakers.
Other Reading…
The U.S. Seems to Be Dodging a Recession. What Could Go Wrong? (NY Times)
Sundar Pichai Warns Google Staff More Layoffs are Coming (TechCrunch)
California Farms Dried Up a River for Months. Nobody Stopped Them (NY Times)
Altman Seeks to Raise Billions for Network of AI Chip Factories (Bloomberg)
S&P 500 Closes at Record High, Capping a Strong Run for Stocks (Washington Post)
Pakistan Retaliates With Strikes Inside Iran (ABC News)
After Netflix Says No, Other App Makers Debate a Vision Pro Launch (TechCrunch)
On X…
I think the summary in (https://quillette.com/) is based on a false dichotomy. It is not an either-or proposition: biology or society. Both biology and society play a role in shaping gender differences in STEM fields. The article linked also mentions the following "Pushing the equal-outcomes agenda in STEM and in other socially valuable areas provides feel-good experiences for gender activists, a self-serving diversion of the public’s money, and lots of bureaucratic jobs". This is such a sloppy argument (from David C. Geary is a Curators’ Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at the University of Missouri).
The goal of achieving equal outcomes for all people is not simply about creating a "feel-good experience" or generating bureaucratic jobs. It is about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute to society without being held back by discrimination or other barriers.True equality is not about forcing everyone to have exactly the same outcomes, but rather about ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to succeed.
I thought this m/f brain science was well established but politics kept it out of discussion.