Paul David Robinson
@paul-david-robinson.com
Lecturer at Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science. PhD in Philosophy with Cognitive & Brain Science. Northern Irish. Trying to write a book on philosophy & cognitive science for people living in conflict zones.
https://www.paul-david-robinson.com
https://www.paul-david-robinson.com
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
In passport line in Prague remembering my best experience in US:
Agent: why are you here?
I’m a Professor, giving a talk.
What’s you subject?
Political Philosophy.
My favourite!!
Really??
No. I say that to all the Professors.
Agent: why are you here?
I’m a Professor, giving a talk.
What’s you subject?
Political Philosophy.
My favourite!!
Really??
No. I say that to all the Professors.
November 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM
In passport line in Prague remembering my best experience in US:
Agent: why are you here?
I’m a Professor, giving a talk.
What’s you subject?
Political Philosophy.
My favourite!!
Really??
No. I say that to all the Professors.
Agent: why are you here?
I’m a Professor, giving a talk.
What’s you subject?
Political Philosophy.
My favourite!!
Really??
No. I say that to all the Professors.
Is it too much to ask that when a university emails a professor a link to upload a recommendation letter, they also include the deadline and the specific program the student is applying to?
a man with a beard is standing in front of a sign that reads help me out
ALT: a man with a beard is standing in front of a sign that reads help me out
media.tenor.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Is it too much to ask that when a university emails a professor a link to upload a recommendation letter, they also include the deadline and the specific program the student is applying to?
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
Is this what international relations experts mean by ‘strategic ambiguity’?
August 8, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Is this what international relations experts mean by ‘strategic ambiguity’?
I thought this was a joke, but then I tried. GTP5: "I misread it because my brain did the classic “pattern completion” trick — once it saw blueb… and knew “berry” was coming, it subconsciously doubled the b in the middle, like in words such as rubber or subbedding." 😮
August 8, 2025 at 2:21 AM
I thought this was a joke, but then I tried. GTP5: "I misread it because my brain did the classic “pattern completion” trick — once it saw blueb… and knew “berry” was coming, it subconsciously doubled the b in the middle, like in words such as rubber or subbedding." 😮
Benedict Cumberbatch as Søren Kierkegaard.
August 6, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Benedict Cumberbatch as Søren Kierkegaard.
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
The undergrad Cognitive Studies major at Indiana is a model for the field and is now on the chopping block bc enrollment is under the state's new guidelines
IU has the oldest Folklore Department in the country--no longer a major. Cognitive Science? gone! PhD programs also sacrificed. Full list here: www.in.gov/che/files/In...
www.in.gov
June 30, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The undergrad Cognitive Studies major at Indiana is a model for the field and is now on the chopping block bc enrollment is under the state's new guidelines
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
Every now again it’s useful to repeat advice about accessing papers that are behind a paywall that excludes you. Email the author. My estimate is that 90% of academics are so thrilled that a living, breathing, possibly even reading, person shows interest that they will swiftly send you a copy.
May 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Every now again it’s useful to repeat advice about accessing papers that are behind a paywall that excludes you. Email the author. My estimate is that 90% of academics are so thrilled that a living, breathing, possibly even reading, person shows interest that they will swiftly send you a copy.
This is worse.
April 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
This is worse.
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
I had convo with students about #bias against #shy people in #academia yesterday. Shy folks often come off as uninterested or rude, but they (we!) are often managing inner battles and negative self talk, as well as just plain nerves and not loving the unstructured spotlight.
April 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Evans on Peter Wason: "His emphasis was always on imagination and the discovery of an interesting problem. He told you not to read the literature until after you had carried out your experiment."
April 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Evans on Peter Wason: "His emphasis was always on imagination and the discovery of an interesting problem. He told you not to read the literature until after you had carried out your experiment."
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
Can anyone point me to a resource of open datasets from psychology? I am looking for ways to improve a psychology stats course for next year (based on Statistical Rethinking by @rmcelreath.bsky.social), and one way might be to offer more psychology-specific examples for the practical sessions.
February 3, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Can anyone point me to a resource of open datasets from psychology? I am looking for ways to improve a psychology stats course for next year (based on Statistical Rethinking by @rmcelreath.bsky.social), and one way might be to offer more psychology-specific examples for the practical sessions.
A site that doesn't often feature in tours, but was my top of my list when I visited Egypt earlier this month - the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Important source of information regarding the Sea Peoples, including the Philistines, and (possibly) the history of Yahweh worship.
January 28, 2025 at 3:27 PM
A site that doesn't often feature in tours, but was my top of my list when I visited Egypt earlier this month - the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Important source of information regarding the Sea Peoples, including the Philistines, and (possibly) the history of Yahweh worship.
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
Well, it’s finally happened, one for the bucket list.
This week I found a flint handaxe at Happisburgh while walking with friends. Their shared concern was due to my delighted dancing looking like I was having a funny turn!
This week I found a flint handaxe at Happisburgh while walking with friends. Their shared concern was due to my delighted dancing looking like I was having a funny turn!
December 13, 2024 at 6:38 PM
Well, it’s finally happened, one for the bucket list.
This week I found a flint handaxe at Happisburgh while walking with friends. Their shared concern was due to my delighted dancing looking like I was having a funny turn!
This week I found a flint handaxe at Happisburgh while walking with friends. Their shared concern was due to my delighted dancing looking like I was having a funny turn!
Uh oh. I wonder how many students googled statistical concepts before their exams this semester and were misled by the AI summary.
January 4, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Uh oh. I wonder how many students googled statistical concepts before their exams this semester and were misled by the AI summary.
Reposted by Paul David Robinson
Prepping to teach intro evolution for the first time- what are everyone's favorite misconceptions about evolution? I've got a few:
- evolution happens to individuals
- evolution happens because it's needed
- evolution is hierarchical/directional/has an end point
- evolution happens to individuals
- evolution happens because it's needed
- evolution is hierarchical/directional/has an end point
December 31, 2024 at 5:21 PM
Prepping to teach intro evolution for the first time- what are everyone's favorite misconceptions about evolution? I've got a few:
- evolution happens to individuals
- evolution happens because it's needed
- evolution is hierarchical/directional/has an end point
- evolution happens to individuals
- evolution happens because it's needed
- evolution is hierarchical/directional/has an end point
An especially busy end of the semester — I became a dual citizen of the USA and UK. In theory, I could add Ireland (and the EU) for triple citizenship. Alas, now I need to reconstruct my lecturing style, which for the past decade has primarily revolved around making fun of Americans.
December 31, 2024 at 6:29 PM
An especially busy end of the semester — I became a dual citizen of the USA and UK. In theory, I could add Ireland (and the EU) for triple citizenship. Alas, now I need to reconstruct my lecturing style, which for the past decade has primarily revolved around making fun of Americans.
Looking back in 30 years, people will see the weight our generation gave to student evaluations as scandalous. The funny thing is, in my experience most students have no idea how important these reports are — and when they find out, they think it's ridiculous too!
Did you see this experiment my colleague Kristina conducted not just at my university but *in my department*? She and the male instructor assumed eachothers’ names for an online course: and the difference in feedback they received was horrifying.
Student Evaluations Can’t Be Used to Assess Professors. They’re Discriminatory.
And that means they’re illegal.
slate.com
December 30, 2024 at 8:16 PM
Looking back in 30 years, people will see the weight our generation gave to student evaluations as scandalous. The funny thing is, in my experience most students have no idea how important these reports are — and when they find out, they think it's ridiculous too!
The biggest challenge in teaching, I find, isn’t helping students remember information — it’s preventing misinterpretations. They're difficult to predict. As I teach and grade, I try to edit my lecture slides as I come across them. This is one reason why I prefer to not delegate grading to my TA.
December 26, 2024 at 3:32 PM
The biggest challenge in teaching, I find, isn’t helping students remember information — it’s preventing misinterpretations. They're difficult to predict. As I teach and grade, I try to edit my lecture slides as I come across them. This is one reason why I prefer to not delegate grading to my TA.
Teaching p-values.
November 17, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Teaching p-values.