Given the assumption that the doctor you’re consulting with is only concerned with charging you with as much money as possible, how do we make sure they’re diagnosing us correctly? This thought experiment by Jan Henrik Kirchner is called the “Greedy Doctor Problem”, but it deals broadly with how to reason with people smarter than you. How do we “solve” it? The most common (and successful) answer seems to be getting a third party to analyse the doctor’s diagnoses, checking to see if there’s a predictable pattern they’re following. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
