Comments on: The Neglected Importance of Diversity http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:38:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Levinson http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-224316 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:11:44 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-224316 Your point about depression being a “long slow catastrophe” reminds me of a related point by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_rhythm_therapy" rel="nofollow">Ellen Frank</a> about the treatment of bipolar disorder: <em>“This approach </em>[of putting the emphasis on the prophylaxis of mania]<em>, however, left many bipolar patients to suffer protracted and debilitating (but not dramatic) depressions. We now recognize that these low-grade depressions are actually associated with more impairment than the more dramatic, impressive manias </em>[citation]<em>, but this was not appreciated for much of the psychopharmacological drugs era.”</em> (From <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=cRMzWcXgFeAC&pg=PA27&dq=treating+bipolar&sig=ACfU3U37naE4-1ufi-RM2ku1siRFIHqCRg" rel="nofollow">Treating Bipolar Disorder</a>, page 29) Your point about depression being a “long slow catastrophe” reminds me of a related point by Ellen Frank about the treatment of bipolar disorder:

“This approach [of putting the emphasis on the prophylaxis of mania], however, left many bipolar patients to suffer protracted and debilitating (but not dramatic) depressions. We now recognize that these low-grade depressions are actually associated with more impairment than the more dramatic, impressive manias [citation], but this was not appreciated for much of the psychopharmacological drugs era.”

(From Treating Bipolar Disorder, page 29)

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-223758 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:16:47 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-223758 Thanks, MT. As you suggest, my animal learning research is about how animals optimize (not just produce) diversity of action. The diversity of what they do depends on external events. Thanks, MT. As you suggest, my animal learning research is about how animals optimize (not just produce) diversity of action. The diversity of what they do depends on external events.

]]> by: MT http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-223752 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:57:29 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/10/02/the-neglected-importance-of-diversity/#comment-223752 Great point -- I think a new framework in finance and economics could be an optimization problem between the very legitimate benefits of economies of scale and the costs of homogenization and interdependence. Somewhere between the two is an ideal and determining that point should inform federal and multilateral policy. How much consolidation to allow in an industry could be based on research in that area, and considered at national and international levels. Free market benefits collapse as you approach oligopolistic and monopolistic states in most cases. Also reminded of the benefits of collaboration and interdisciplinary research as, in this case, ecology, psychology, finance, and urban design are drawing on one another -- which is a heterogeneous approach, making the post rather metaheterogeneous. A diverse post about the value of diversity. Great point — I think a new framework in finance and economics could be an optimization problem between the very legitimate benefits of economies of scale and the costs of homogenization and interdependence. Somewhere between the two is an ideal and determining that point should inform federal and multilateral policy. How much consolidation to allow in an industry could be based on research in that area, and considered at national and international levels. Free market benefits collapse as you approach oligopolistic and monopolistic states in most cases.

Also reminded of the benefits of collaboration and interdisciplinary research as, in this case, ecology, psychology, finance, and urban design are drawing on one another — which is a heterogeneous approach, making the post rather metaheterogeneous. A diverse post about the value of diversity.

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