Terence Tao on Nostr: Maslow's hierarchy of needs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs ...
Maslow's hierarchy of needs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs is a popular framework for conceiving human needs. Some of its finer details have received both popular and academic criticism, but with the understanding that it is a hugely oversimplified approximation, it can still be a good initial starting point.
In this framework, needs are arranged in a "pyramid", and as a general rule one has to have one's needs lower in the pyramid met before one has the ability to pursue needs higher in the pyramid. One needs food and water for instance above all else, but once one has those, one can seek out safety, then friendships, then senses of self-worth and purpose, and eventually the ability to pursue creative activities.
I have been fortunate for my entire life to have largely avoided any serious trauma, and have had almost all of my needs met on this pyramid throughout my childhood and later career. As such, I have been able to spend a significant fraction of my time on what might be called "self-actualization", which for me largely involves working on mathematics, and lately the intersection of mathematics with modern computer tools such as AI. (1/3)
In this framework, needs are arranged in a "pyramid", and as a general rule one has to have one's needs lower in the pyramid met before one has the ability to pursue needs higher in the pyramid. One needs food and water for instance above all else, but once one has those, one can seek out safety, then friendships, then senses of self-worth and purpose, and eventually the ability to pursue creative activities.
I have been fortunate for my entire life to have largely avoided any serious trauma, and have had almost all of my needs met on this pyramid throughout my childhood and later career. As such, I have been able to spend a significant fraction of my time on what might be called "self-actualization", which for me largely involves working on mathematics, and lately the intersection of mathematics with modern computer tools such as AI. (1/3)