Robert Winston: The expanding mind - LT15 Conference

We are one of the planet’s most successful species. Why? Because we are able to learn, recall what we have learned, and share it with one another. In this opening keynote for day two of the conference, Lord Robert Winston will explore how these abilities have shaped us as humans, and the implications they have for us today. How do neural pathways strengthen with repetition – and does the fact that they do mean rote learning is optimal? If we are all natural learners, does this mean that everyone has the same intellectual chances in life? And if not, then what inhibits us in using our brains to their full potential? Lord Winston is uniquely placed to explore these issues. He has played a leading role in medicine and child development in the UK, and has broadcast many series for the BBC around the human mind, development and memory. His softly-spoken, self-deprecating humour belies his achievements in a wide range of fields.