Cool Facts Flashcards
What was the origin of the the pseudosport of professional wrestling?
The orgins of professional wrestling was a sport known as “catch” wrestling which held it’s last real match in the early 1900’s. The problem with this sport was that it was boring to watch but occassional would result in severe injury. So there was no audience.
What is “time span of discretion” and what are the levels?
The length of the longest task an individual can successfully undertake. Originated by Elliot Jaques in the 1950’s when looking at business productivity
Level 1: sales associate, line workers (up to 3 months)
Level 2-4: various managerial positions (1-5 years)
Level 5: small company CEOs (5-10 years)
Level 6: business leaders, statesmen (20 year horizon)
Level 7 (50 years)
Level 8 (100 years) Henry Ford
Level 9 (Centuries) Einstein, Ghandi
What is “Exaptation”?
This term coined by Stephen Jay Gould describes a situation where a particular trait is adapted for a specific use but then “hijacked” for another purpose. The prototypical example of this is feathers. Initially believed to have evolved to keep the organsim warm, were ultimately evolved to enable flight.
What is the origin of the word “Serendipity”?
First coined by the English novelist Horace Walpole in 1754, the word derives from a Persian fairy tale titled the three princes of Serendip. The protagonists of the story were always making discoveries by accident of things they were not in quest of.
