Pragmatic nihilism | Derek Jones | TEDxOpenUniversity

Humanity is fundamentally unsustainable because of the way we’ve evolved to think. What you think thinking is isn’t what actually happens in your head and that can lead to all sorts of problems. For example, it’s what gives us creativity but also the creative ability to deny problems around us. But don’t worry: pragmatic nihilism offers the answer to our problems. By understanding how we actually think, and how that thinking makes us construct meaning and purpose, we can all become sustainable nihilists. Humanity may not be sustainable; but humans might. Senior Lecturer in Design at The Open University. Research interests are the pedagogy of design and creativity; embodied cognition in physical and virtual environments; and theories of design knowledge. Qualified architect with 15 years experience in the construction design and procurement industries. Convenor of the Design Research Society’s Pedagogy special interest group. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx