Pune Knowledge on Tap - A Brief History of Curiosity and 'Useless Knowledge'"

Abstract: In the age of human-driven efficiency, curiosity was seen as an unproductive vice. That age may be ending. Today, AI can answer, but it cannot wonder. This talk will argue that staying human now requires granting curiosity its rightful place as a great engine of human endeavor and as an essential survival skill. Along the way, we'll encounter a brief history of curiosity, make the case for 'useless' knowledge and better questions, and award ourselves the license to live a more curious life.

About the Speaker: J. Ramanand is a co-founder at Choose To Thinq. He studied computer science at COEP and IIT Bombay, and has worked as an applied researcher in Natural Language Processing. At CTQ, he works with teams and individuals to help them stay relevant in a shapeshifting world. Ramanand is a quizzer and quiz maker, was the youngest winner of BBC's Mastermind India, and appeared on KBC as a expert. He sends out a daily quiz at Infinite Zounds, a newsletter devoted to finding interestingness in the world. Recently, he discovered he shares a strange connection with Hamza Ali Mazari, which he will reveal at the talk.