#AcademicRunPlaylist - 12/14/25

It was a snowy end to the weekend here in Boston, and before celebrating the first night of Channukah on the drive home I listened to talks and books for my #AcademicRunPlaylist!

First was a great talk by Aran Nayebi on using embodied agents to reverse-engineer behavior at the University of Toronto Robotics Institute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Qm-4LhOyA

Next was "Horizons" by James Poskett. This book is best read as a series of important case studies of unheralded figures in science across the centuries, and a good illustration of how scientists exist in the world rather than cloistered off from the rest of society. It isn't, however, a systematic study of the development of science and the contribution of different factors to progress, and many connections strain credulity (e.g. the fact that Einstein gave talks in many countries doesn't mean those countries contributed much to his theories). It does importantly show that attributing particular advances to individuals is largely a mistake, and that context is extremely important in shaping avenues of scientific inquiry https://www.harpercollins.com/products/horizons-james-poskett

Last was "Behemoth: A History of the Factory and the Making of the Modern World" by Joshua Freeman. This book is an incredible examination of the history of factories, from their conception prior to the industrial revolution to the present day. Freeman spends time reviewing the forces driving the origins and modifications of the factory system, the experience of working in them, and their influence on companies and society more broadly. Given their importance both as a workplace and as a driver of modern life, this book is an important contribution to our larger understanding of how this important organizational form operates. Highly recommend https://wwnorton.com/books/Behemoth/