David J. Linden
Professor of Neuroscience
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
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Not too long ago, David Linden found himself on OkCupid, one of the world’s great catalogs of human idiosyncrasy. Fortunately for his lonely heart, he found his soulmate. But, being a scientist, he couldn’t help but ask what made the whole thing work? His new book, Unique, gives the answer. During this talk, Linden will tell us more about what he’s learned about the origins and importance of human individuality.
From the womb in which we developed to the food we just ate, Linden’s book explores the myriad factors that make us each unlike any other. At the heart of human individuality are our genes, but these are not genes that preordain our destiny. Rather, they are flexible ones, easily manipulated by the intrinsic randomness of human development and our experience in the world. Perhaps even more surprisingly, Linden reveals why human individuality—the things that set us apart—are in fact essential to our ability to live together.
David Linden’s book, Unique: The New Science of Human Individuality will be released on September 29. You can learn more at davidlinden.org.