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Why Does Uncertainty Bother Us So Much? | Adam Kucharski | TED

Why do we find it easier to trust some concepts and ideas over others? Mathematician and TED Fellow Adam Kucharski explores the science of uncertainty, revealing how the very human need for explanation shapes trust in science, fear of technology and belief in conspiracy theories. (Recorded at TEDxLondon on January 26, 2025) Join us in…

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Why do we find it easier to trust some concepts and ideas over others? Mathematician and TED Fellow Adam Kucharski explores the science of uncertainty, revealing how the very human need for explanation shapes trust in science, fear of technology and belief in conspiracy theories. (Recorded at TEDxLondon on January 26, 2025)

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22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. @Jasenskiditorere

    August 11, 2025 at 11:07 am

    came here for thing, stayed for everything 😚🍒

  2. @Sofianapuigig

    August 11, 2025 at 11:12 am

    was not expecting to enjoy this but here we are 🧡💖

  3. @achmadhanifmardinsyah5825

    August 11, 2025 at 11:13 am

    I feel same, i craving Information and give dopamine. Get burnout for studying then cant sleep 🙂

  4. @PomPonn-f2i

    August 11, 2025 at 11:19 am

    ♥ 👀

  5. @grantlauzon5237

    August 11, 2025 at 11:52 am

    And they’ll never leave.

  6. @Jaishreeram-ly2jm

    August 11, 2025 at 11:52 am

    This will blow up in the next ten years .I will visit it in in 2035 probably.

  7. @mrfalleo

    August 11, 2025 at 11:55 am

    Humans, know nothing and the universe does not bend to our knees. We are just a chaotic bioproduct of the universe.

  8. @West1010

    August 11, 2025 at 12:04 pm

    Women love uncertainty when it comes to relationships.

  9. @Ludiotic

    August 11, 2025 at 12:14 pm

    One of the other challenges is that a complex truth can make us feel stupid, and the idea of deferring to an expert we don’t yet trust makes us feel vulnerable. It’s why a lot of conspiracy theories (and creation myths) are so attractive – “this person did it” is something we can always wrap our heads around, so we don’t feel threatened by the complexity.

    It’s so hard to actively suspend certainty that I’m not surprised we’re surrounded by theories.

    • @mmdrodrigues

      August 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm

      Would you rather not be surrounded by theories ? They essentially equate to human progress and for every conspiracy there is potentially one correct conspiracy theory ..

      Too bad people don’t even understand that the term was used as a pejorative, by the CIA for them to curtail questions about Oswald acting alone or not. I’m glad he’s a doctor and not a scientist. I don’t use doctors much nowadays, most of them are completely locked in their assumed knowledge..and yet the world is sicker each day.

  10. @etchasketch222

    August 11, 2025 at 12:43 pm

    What’s the TLDW?

    • @QuintFoxGPT

      August 11, 2025 at 2:09 pm

      * Complex Technologies and Lack of Explanation: The speaker highlights several examples where we trust technology without a complete understanding of why it works:
      * Aerodynamics: Common explanations for why airplanes fly don’t cover all scenarios.
      * Medical Technologies: The exact mechanisms behind defibrillation and general anesthesia are still not entirely clear.
      * Self-driving Cars: A major concern is not understanding the decision-making process of autonomous machines.
      * Computer-aided Proofs: The first major mathematical theorem proven by a computer forced mathematicians to accept a proof they couldn’t verify by hand.
      * The Shift from Explanation to Prediction: In many fields, the focus has moved to prediction because it’s an easier problem than finding a full explanation. This becomes problematic in areas like the justice system, where algorithms predict future crimes without explaining the underlying reasons.
      * The Role of Explanation in Conspiracy Theories: A lack of clear explanations can create a void that conspiracy theories fill. These theories often provide simple, all-encompassing explanations for complex events.
      * The Importance of Acknowledging the Human Need for Explanation: The speaker argues that it’s crucial for scientists and experts to not just state what is true but also explain why it’s true. As the world becomes more complex, individuals need to find new ways to evaluate claims and trust experts.
      The video concludes by emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between knowing “what is happening” and understanding “why it’s happening.”

    • @maxinedowns8013

      August 11, 2025 at 4:46 pm

      Too Long Didn’t Watch.

  11. @TheBestLifeMindsetWithShelly

    August 11, 2025 at 12:56 pm

    Fascinating topic. Our brains crave certainty, even if it’s false—sometimes we’d rather have a wrong answer than sit with the unknown.🩷

  12. @Bluth53

    August 11, 2025 at 12:59 pm

    The topic and content are quite good, but the presentation and pronunciation could be improved.

  13. @QuintFoxGPT

    August 11, 2025 at 2:08 pm

    * 00:04 – The Airplane Riddle
    * 00:49 – The Mystery of Defibrillation
    * 01:01 – The Unexplained Anesthesia
    * 02:03 – The Problem with Self-Driving Cars
    * 02:55 – The Computer-Aided Proof
    * 05:52 – Algorithms in the Justice System
    * 08:16 – The Appeal of Conspiracy Theories
    * 10:09 – Conclusion

    • @gallahaggis

      August 11, 2025 at 9:10 pm

      gake and fay

  14. @meloz1246

    August 11, 2025 at 2:23 pm

    The price tags are still on every piece of his apparel

  15. @mmdrodrigues

    August 11, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    Logical fallacy…. He is guilty of what he accuses the theorists of, wanting to defend his point and not be open minded to evolve his position …. 😂 The irony is delicious, but lost on him of course….

    Too bad doctors weren’t open to understanding that sun and exercise and not being in home prison would have been a better approach ..

    Too bad they weren’t open minded (lol, as if that was the root cause…) to the possibility that the vaccines didn’t stop transmission like they repeated as nauseaum.

    This won’t age well, and if it does, we’ll be in 1984..

  16. @8888Rik

    August 12, 2025 at 11:21 am

    I dearly wish this had been much longer. As a scientist with a deep background in philosophy (and math), I think a great deal about the need that we all have for explanation, and I used to discuss this when I was a statistics lecturer at a University. People may get the math of statistical correlations, but they need specific, causal mechanisms as well, especially when the event in question happens to *them*, specifically and directly, from automobile accidents to cancer. It seems to be a psychological epistemic necessity.

  17. @DeborahMarchantPoet

    August 12, 2025 at 3:26 pm

    Why? We can go deeper. Naturally experiencing uncertainty, the easily threatened & easily death anxiety triggered brain, falsely believes it is invincible and will live forever. It continually attempts to ward off thoughts of death that are non-consciously triggered by uncertainty and confusion.

  18. @tesoroart1825

    August 12, 2025 at 9:27 pm

    The stage backdrop at TEDxLondon, with a design placed in the center that resembles the Japanese Rising Sun flag, was used by the Japanese military during World War II. In many parts of East Asia, it is associated with Japan’s imperial history and wartime actions, and is considered offensive by some. I found it surprising to see here

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