Cognitive Engineering

Cognitive Engineering

Welcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them.

  1. 23 hr ago

    Evil Corporations

    In this episode, we explore the idea of “evil corporations,” prompted by a legal case in which a woman successfully sued social media companies for making their platforms addictive. We examine whether corporations deliberately design harmful products, concluding that in many cases they do, and question whether it makes sense to describe corporations as “evil” in human terms at all. Along the way, we trace a long history of suspicion toward large organisations, from the East India Company to modern tech giants, and discuss examples such as tobacco, leaded petrol and planned obsolescence. We also reflect on how corporations often rely on euphemistic language to soften harmful practices, while the individuals within them may not feel personally responsible for the outcomes. We then turn to why harmful behaviour emerges in the first place, focusing on structural forces like profit incentives, diffusion of responsibility and competitive pressures that can drive a race to the bottom. We compare corporate harms with those caused by governments, noting differences in visibility, scale and accountability, and ask whether corporations deserve particular scrutiny given their built-in amoral incentives. While we touch on alternative models such as stakeholder capitalism, we remain sceptical about their effectiveness in practice, ultimately returning to regulation as the most reliable tool available. Our conclusion is that corporations behaving badly should not come as a surprise, and that the real challenge is designing frameworks that recognise and constrain those tendencies. "Nicotine is not addictive": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZDQKq2F08 Phoebus Cartel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel The Love Canal incident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Canal Stakeholder Capitalism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusive_capitalism

    46 min

  2. 27 May

    The Sense of an Ending

    In this episode, we ask how we know when something has really ended, starting with the much-criticised finale of Game of Thrones. We explore why some endings feel satisfying while others feel rushed, artificial or unresolved, looking at the difference between fiction and real life. We discuss how stories impose structure on events, why audiences crave resolution and how endings can depend on framing, perspective and the difference between something simply stopping and something properly ending. We then broaden the discussion to real-world endings, from the Second World War and the fall of apartheid to the Cold War, the war on terror and other messier historical examples. We consider why humans are so drawn to narrative, how stories help us understand the world and why fiction may train us to expect closure that reality rarely provides. Finally, we test a five-part “endingometer” for what makes an ending work: significance, uncertainty, symbolism, irreversibility and a quiet moment of resolution.

    40 min

  3. 20 May

    How to Buy a Car

    In this episode of the Cognitive Engineering Podcast, the team responds to a listener’s question about how to buy a car, using it as a springboard into wider ideas about decision-making. They explore the tension between analytical approaches—spreadsheets, cost breakdowns and rational comparisons—and more instinctive, emotionally driven choices. Drawing on their own contrasting experiences, from careful, criteria-based selection to impulsive, passion-led purchases, they highlight how factors like price, depreciation, usage and even the buying experience itself can influence both decisions and long-term satisfaction. The discussion also touches on how identity, politics and personal values can shape preferences, as well as the role of emotional responses in supposedly rational decisions. Broadening out beyond cars, the conversation examines how people make big, infrequent decisions more generally, from buying houses to choosing careers. The hosts discuss psychological concepts such as “maximisers” versus “satisfiers”, the role of subconscious decision-making and the tendency to rationalise choices after the fact. They note that more analysis doesn’t necessarily lead to greater satisfaction, and may even increase regret. Practical takeaways include reframing big purchases as ongoing costs versus ongoing value, being honest about what you actually care about and recognising that people quickly adapt to new possessions. Ultimately, they suggest that while structured thinking can help, overthinking can be counterproductive—and sometimes the better question isn’t which option to choose, but whether you’re asking the right question in the first place.

    46 min

  4. 13 May

    Accessing the Past

    In this episode, we explore why some older media remain surprisingly accessible while other, much newer works become almost impossible to experience. We compare a 300-year-old piece of music that can still be played from notation with old computer games that no longer run because of lost code, outdated hardware, vanished servers or obsolete software. We discuss how digital media can be fragile precisely because it depends on layers of technology, compression and decoding, whereas older forms like printed music, books or physical records can sometimes survive in more direct and recoverable ways. We then turn to a different kind of accessibility: whether we can still appreciate older works as their original audiences did. From silent films and early recordings to Trainspotting, Star Wars, strange 1970s cinema and old sci-fi television, we ask how much cultural context, nostalgia and changing technology shape our experience. We consider whether some art forms stop evolving or whether each generation simply mistakes its own moment for the endpoint. Finally, we share examples of older media we still enjoy, from Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy to cult sci-fi and ancient decorated stone spheres. P.T.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P.T._(video_game) Difficulty of playing Black and White on the PC: https://www.reddit.com/r/gamesupport/comments/3glp00/black_white_the_first_game_on_windows_10/ Video game preservation efforts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_preservation Appreciation or Nostalgia? https://from.ncl.ac.uk/nostalgia-in-retro-gaming Bronze Age stone balls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carved_stone_balls

    43 min

  5. 6 May

    Sensitive Topics

    In this episode, we discuss a forthcoming board game about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and ask why some subjects feel uncomfortable when turned into games. We explore whether the controversy comes from the topic itself, the tone, the medium, the time elapsed since the events or the cultural distance from them. We compare this with other difficult subjects represented in films, books, video games and board games, from the Second World War and the war on terror to natural disasters and pandemics. We then look more closely at what games actually do, especially the idea of adopting temporary agency: playing a role without morally endorsing it. We ask whether participatory media are judged differently because players actively make choices, rather than simply watching or reading. Finally, we broaden the discussion into what makes board games compelling at all, comparing them with sport, horror films and other forms of imaginative suspension, before ending with a few reflections on why board games can be both intellectually rich and emotionally difficult to explain to non-gamers. The Troubles boardgame: https://www.compassgames.com/product/the-troubles-shadow-war-in-northern-ireland-pay-later/ Guardian article about the controversy: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/23/target-mainland-planned-troubles-board-game-condemned-in-northern-ireland La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367517/la-famiglia-the-great-mafia-war Labyrinth: The War on Terror: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/62227/labyrinth-the-war-on-terror-2001 Agency as Art by C. Thi Nguyen: https://academic.oup.com/book/32137

    36 min

  6. 29 Apr

    Training

    In this episode we discuss training: what it can realistically achieve, why it often fails and how people actually become good at things. The conversation begins with Aleph’s past experience delivering analytical training, and Nick’s frustration that training often strips away the excitement of discovery. The group explores whether people really learn best through formal instruction, or whether genuine understanding comes from practice, mistakes, motivation and real-world need. Links: Michael Polanyi's 'Tacit knowledge' - We know more than we can tell. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacit_knowledge

    43 min

  7. 22 Apr

    Aleph Peace Prize

    Episode summaryIn this episode, the team explores what prizes are actually for. Starting with a discussion of FIFA’s much-mocked “Peace Prize” and the longer pedigree of the Nobel Peace Prize, they examine how prizes gain prestige, whether they genuinely incentivise good behaviour and how they can shape status, motivation and public recognition. The conversation moves from global peace prizes to personal experiences of winning school and university awards, before turning to the deeper question: what makes a prize valuable? Is it age, scarcity, continuity, the calibre of previous winners or the significance of what it rewards? The episode ends with the proposal of a new award: the Aleph Peace Prize, aimed not at symbolic virtue but at people or institutions that have plausibly reduced the risk of actual conflict. In this episodeWhy FIFA’s “Peace Prize” is seen as absurd and performativeWhat the Nobel Peace Prize was originally meant to rewardControversial Nobel winners, including Henry Kissinger and Barack ObamaHow Nobel Peace Prize winners tend to fall into categories such as:peace process participantshuman rights advocatesinstitution buildershumanitarian organisationsWhether prizes are mainly about:incentivesrecognitioncredentialisationrewardWhy prestige depends on factors like age, continuity, scarcity and past winnersThe idea that too many prizes can dilute the value of all prizesPersonal reflections on school and university prizes, and how recognition can affect confidence and effortA proposed alternative peace prize focused on real-world conflict reduction

    37 min

  8. 15 Apr

    Username and Password

    In this episode, Fraser McGruer, Nick Hare, Chris Wragg and Peter Coghill explore one of modern life’s most persistent irritations: being asked to create yet another username and password. The conversation starts with a familiar frustration—setting up endless accounts for everyday tasks, from charging an electric car to buying a coffee—and quickly broadens into a deeper discussion about identity, convenience, data and the trade-offs built into digital life. Why do so many companies want us to log in all the time? Is it really about making life easier, or is it about harvesting data? The team examines the competing incentives at work: users want speed and low friction, while businesses want persistent identity, customer lock-in and as much information as possible. Along the way, they distinguish between situations where accounts are genuinely useful and those where they feel completely unnecessary. They also explore how the digital world has transformed ordinary interactions that once depended on human recognition and informal trust into bureaucratic login rituals. Nick introduces a “new account nuisance matrix” to sort the helpful from the pointless, while Peter outlines the technical case for more robust digital identity systems—without handing all power to Google, Apple or the state. The discussion ends with a look at possible solutions, including the idea of self-sovereign identity, where users retain control over their own credentials and data. In this episode:Why account creation feels so relentless nowThe trade-off between convenience and data harvestingWhy companies want persistent digital identityThe technical reasons accounts can be usefulWhy some logins feel justified and others feel absurdThe differences between digital and analogue identityThe nuisance of fragmented sign-ins and password fatigueWhy centralised digital identity systems may be riskyThe case for self-sovereign identity Key ideas and concepts:Greed vs speed: businesses want your data, users want less frictionPersistent identity: proving you’re the same person across visits or devicesState: the saved information attached to you, such as baskets, preferences and purchase historyAttribution and accountability: knowing who posted, purchased or interactedAccount fatigue: the frustration caused by low-value services demanding high-effort sign-upWalled gardens: big tech identity systems that simplify things while increasing dependencySelf-sovereign identity: a model where users control their own credentials and access Examples discussed:Electric vehicle charging appsCoffee shop loyalty schemesAmazon and frictionless checkoutIndependent bookshops and analogue orderingGuest checkout versus full account creationHouse buying and repeated identity verificationSmart home devices that require accountsLocal newspaper paywallsRecipe websites and corporate brochure downloadsGoogle, Apple and Facebook sign-in systems Timestamps00:00 Introduction: username and password fatigue 00:27 Nick’s frustration with electric car charging apps and endless account creation 02:40 Peter introduces the “greed versus speed” tension behind digital accounts 03:28 Data harvesting, free products and the business model behind sign-ups 04:17 Why convenience often pushes people towards platforms like Amazon 05:03 Chris questions whether personal data is really as valuable as companies claim 07:14 Nick explains the legitimate technical reasons accounts exist: identity, state and accountability 10:39 Why digital life makes account creation feel more frequent and intrusive 11:32 Chris compares digital sign-ups with older, more human forms of transaction 12:56 The independent bookshop as an analogue alternative 14:15 Identity and authentication in the physical world 15:32 Online purchasing as self-service bureaucracy 16:18 Peter points out that non-digital bureaucracy can be just as bad, especially when buying a house 17:14 The appeal of a reusable digital identity 18:03 Why fragmented identity systems are inefficient and frustrating 19:46 Nick presents the “new account nuisance matrix” 20:19 Good accounts versus pointless accounts 23:25 The worst part of the Internet: sign-up demands for low-value services 24:42 Electric car charging as a prime example of unnecessary account friction 25:21 Peter begins discussing solutions and warns against false promises from big tech 26:18 The dangers of relying on Google, Apple or governments to own digital identity 28:02 Why centralised identity systems create security risks 28:48 Self-sovereign identity as a possible solution 29:26 Outro ContactIf there’s a topic you’d like the team to cover, email: podcast@alephinsights.com

    30 min
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About

Welcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them.

Information

  • Creator
    Cognitive Engineering
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    399
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Cognitive Engineering

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