In this October 2022 episode of the Knowledge Project podcast, host Shane Parrish talks to AI researcher and author Kenneth Stanley about why conventional problem-solving doesn't lead to innovation and great discoveries.

Modern Western culture is all about metrics — even outside of science, we try to measure everything, from our children's school achievements to our productivity at work.

Metrics might feel useful, but sometimes, being too focused on our objectives can block us from experiencing something new and interesting.

Kenneth Stanley is an artificial intelligence researcher and co-author of the 2015 book Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective.

In this October 2022 episode of the Knowledge Project podcast, host Shane Parrish talks to Stanley about why our culture's obsession with metrics and objectives impedes innovation, and how pursuing unconventional and risky ideas can lead to great discoveries.