Subjectivity - what it means for a "person" (whatever that is) to be the direct, immediate, or ultimate (or a combination of all three) cause of their actions - is something I have been studying in earnest since I was a very wet behind the ears Masters student a quarter (eek!) of a century ago. … Continue reading Subjectivity and Friction
Our Dreams Make Different Shapes
Our Dreams Make Different Shapes: how your creativity can make the world a better place and why the world will try to stop you is now available as an ebook (£2.99/$3.99) and paperback. (£7.99) For Kindle Paperback Links to Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & others here This book is a field kit for would-be … Continue reading Our Dreams Make Different Shapes
Convergence, Divergence, Vision, Strategy, Tactics, Behavioural Science, Game Theory and Coronavirus
Originally a twitter thread, I thought it might be useful to lay out more readably: There is a lot of criticism of behavioural science at the moment (because, largely, 1. of the people using it - & our memories of Cambridge Analytica; 2. It is highly impersonal & thus inappropriate when lives are involved). Much … Continue reading Convergence, Divergence, Vision, Strategy, Tactics, Behavioural Science, Game Theory and Coronavirus
Manifesto 1.0

Together We Can Solve Tomorrow A work in progress 1 There are many brilliant people with the potential to change the world for the better who are, right now, not enabled to do so. The result is a personal tragedy for them, a moral tragedy for those who put barriers in their path, and an … Continue reading Manifesto 1.0
The Monk, The Mushroom, and The MRI
This is the full text of the talk "The Monk, the Mushroom, and the MRI: how creativity could save the world", given at Meeting Minds in Oxford on 20 September. You can download the slides here. I have kept in the slide prompts so you can follow. When I give talks on the subject of … Continue reading The Monk, The Mushroom, and The MRI
We Need to Build a Better Future: Why Creativity Matters

Talk for the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellows given on 11 September Download the accompanying powerpoint here If you asked people “do we need more creativity?” very few people would be likely to say no. Indeed, we know that when people are asked about creativity they want more of it. Business leaders regularly … Continue reading We Need to Build a Better Future: Why Creativity Matters
White Rabbit Anomalies: how to implement creative solutions

To implement creative solutions to problems we must create white rabbits, anomalies so curiosity-piquing people are desperate to follow them down the rabbit hole.
What Is Knowledge?

What is knowledge is a question that has exercised philosophers for millennia, and is one I'm not likely to solve in a 600 word blog post. On the other hand, at a less fundamental and practical level, you can go a long way to transforming your potential to be creative by changing the way you … Continue reading What Is Knowledge?
What’s a Wonderful Life? The impact of what we do not do

George had loved his working life. For 30 years he had been the chair of one of the leading research councils, providing the money that made wonderful things happen. Now he was finally hanging up his hat but he would have a contented retirement ahead of him, happy in the knowledge he had made the … Continue reading What’s a Wonderful Life? The impact of what we do not do
The Future
One of the fascinating things about being part of the Futures Thinking Network has been trying to answer what should be the simplest question of all: why am I interested in the future? I mean, of course I am – it’s the future! It’s possibility, excitement, discovery, a treasure map of life and so on and … Continue reading The Future