2023年7月– date –
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How the Astros Used Big Data to Win the World Series: “Astroball” (Ben Reiter)
The Astros, once called "the worst baseball team in tha last half century," won the championship through the analysis of big data. The feat was accomplished by baseball laypeople. Learn about the revolution of incorporating "human intuition" into "big data" based on "Astroball". -
The Sand Crisis: How Concrete is Destroying Our Everyday Life: “The World in a Grain” (Vince Beiser)
Can you believe that "sand is running out?" You might think that there's plenty of sand everywhere, but the sand that can be used for industrial purposes is limited. As a result, sand from beaches around the world is being illegally mined. Learn about an environmental issue that's even more important than oil or plastic trash from "The World in a Grain". -
Aum Shinrikyo: A Documentary That Questions Society: “A” (Mori Tatsuya)
The documentary film "A" by Mori Tatsuya, who infiltrated into Aum Shinrikyo, made an impact. However, it was not work about the religious group but about society. It addresses the sadistic nature of society that stops thinking and the reality that cannot be captured by objective facts. -
Japanese Society: A Unique and Effective System: “Les lecons du Japon” (Jean-Marie Bouissou)
Living in Japan, it's common to feel dissatisfaction with Japanese society and politics. However, the French author of "Les lecons du Japon," who has been living in Japan for over 20 years, argues that Japan is doing well compared to France. The book discusses Japan's uniqueness in that only "society," not religion or individuals, can determine what is good or bad. -
The Spark: How to Nurture Your Child’s Hidden Talent (Author Kristine Barnett)
At the age of 12, a child genius solved an unsolved problem in mathematics. However he was declared that it would be "lucky" if he could tie his shoelaces at the age of 16 when he was 3 years old. We can learn from "The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing, Genius, and Autism" how to develop the talent of a severely autistic child against the opinions of experts. -
The Dangers of Believing What We Want Instead of What’s True: “Truth in Our Times” (David E. McCraw) (a true story of the New York Times)
A decade ago, we were supposed to “want the correct information." But somehow, things have changed. People have ended up believing that the “desired information is correct." This shift became even more evident with the rise of former President Trump. From "Truth in Our Times: Inside the Fight for Press Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts," let's question how we receive information.