The Limitations of Scientific Progress and the Mystery of the Human Brain

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Our knowledge of the universe has grown continually in the last 500 years
We have made progress in various fields like cancer research, geology, and economics
Despite our increasing knowledge, the human brain remains the least understood part of the universe
The idea of scientific incompleteness suggests that there are fundamental aspects of the universe that cannot be fully known or explained by science
Friedrich Hayek argued that the mind can never fully understand another mind of the same complexity

Neuroscientist and author Erik Hoel talks about his book, The World Behind the World, with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. Is it possible to reconcile the seemingly subjective inner world of human experience with the seemingly objective outer world of observation, measurement, and science? Despite the promise of neuroscience, Hoel argues that this reconciliation is surprisingly difficult. Join Hoel and Roberts for a wide-ranging exploration of what it means to be human and the limits of science in helping us understand who we are.