full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Sebastian Seung: I am my connectome

Unscramble the Blue Letters

In the 17th century, the mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, wrtoe of his dread of the infinite, his feeling of insignificance at contemplating the vast reaches of oetur space. And, as a scientist, I'm not supposed to talk about my feelings — too much information, professor. (ltgueahr) But may I? (Laughter) (Applause) I feel curiosity, and I feel wonder, but at times I have also felt dispaer. Why did I cosohe to study this organ that is so awesome in its complexity that it might well be iniiftne? It's absurd. How could we even dare to think that we might ever understand this?

Open Cloze

In the 17th century, the mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, _____ of his dread of the infinite, his feeling of insignificance at contemplating the vast reaches of _____ space. And, as a scientist, I'm not supposed to talk about my feelings — too much information, professor. (________) But may I? (Laughter) (Applause) I feel curiosity, and I feel wonder, but at times I have also felt _______. Why did I ______ to study this organ that is so awesome in its complexity that it might well be ________? It's absurd. How could we even dare to think that we might ever understand this?

Solution

  1. despair
  2. infinite
  3. wrote
  4. outer
  5. laughter
  6. choose

Original Text

In the 17th century, the mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, wrote of his dread of the infinite, his feeling of insignificance at contemplating the vast reaches of outer space. And, as a scientist, I'm not supposed to talk about my feelings — too much information, professor. (Laughter) But may I? (Laughter) (Applause) I feel curiosity, and I feel wonder, but at times I have also felt despair. Why did I choose to study this organ that is so awesome in its complexity that it might well be infinite? It's absurd. How could we even dare to think that we might ever understand this?

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
neural activity 10
green neuron 3
mental disorders 2
personal identity 2
finding connectomes 2
mouse brain 2
neuron touches 2
human brain 2
stream bed 2
future civilization 2

Important Words

  1. absurd
  2. applause
  3. awesome
  4. blaise
  5. century
  6. choose
  7. complexity
  8. contemplating
  9. curiosity
  10. despair
  11. dread
  12. feel
  13. feeling
  14. feelings
  15. felt
  16. infinite
  17. information
  18. insignificance
  19. laughter
  20. mathematician
  21. organ
  22. outer
  23. pascal
  24. philosopher
  25. professor
  26. reaches
  27. scientist
  28. space
  29. study
  30. supposed
  31. talk
  32. times
  33. understand
  34. vast
  35. wrote