EconTalk Primal Intelligence (with Angus Fletcher)
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Nov 3, 2025 
Angus Fletcher, a Professor of story science and author, brings a unique perspective to intelligence, focusing on our ability to plan amid uncertainty. He discusses how narrative techniques from Shakespeare to military training enhance our adaptive thinking. Fletcher reveals the power of storytelling in cultivating 'primal intelligence' and explains how improvisation is essential for elite military operators. He also highlights how reading challenging literature rewires our brains, showing how creativity can solve real-world problems.
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Train The Planner, Not The Plan
- Plan to train your ability to adapt, not to lock in a single plan.
- Use decentralized, practice-under-pressure exercises so planners can invent effective new actions on the fly.
Let The Rookie Break The Routine
- Special-ops pilots let rookies take controls and make cascading mistakes to force experts into novel problem-solving.
- Experts then extend tolerance gradually to push their own limits and deepen expertise.
Cherish Exceptions To Spot Opportunity
- Children treat each object or person as unique, which helps detect exceptions and new possibilities.
- Adults trade that sensitivity for efficiency, losing many opportunities unless they intentionally toggle back.
