Cognitive Bias
What’s the difference between an opinion and a position? Does your brain know the difference? What kind of biases are at work when I procrastinate? Will I have the same biases when I am much older? Find out more from our conversation with Brad Bishop, PhD
Twelve O’Clock High
What does this story, based on the early days of American involvement in the air war over Germany, tell us about the tensions that exist for commanders when they try to balance mission accomplishment with their stewardship responsibilities they have for t
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
What does the film tell us about circumstances where it becomes necessary to act with ‘dirty hands’ in order to preserve civilization? How does John Ford use the character of the black man Pompey as an object lesson in the inconsistencies between American
Close Encounters
A close encounter between two ships on the ocean is a humbling experience. The Commanding Officer (CO), and the Officer of the Deck (OOD), learn when to take charge and when to trust each other. Communication and just the right amount of confidence, ensur
Saving Private Ryan
What are the concepts of the natural lottery and moral luck, and how are they represented in the film? Is it fair of Capt. Miller to demand, with his last words, that Ryan “earn it” as he dies after defending the bridge? Is this final demand from Miller r
Time on Target
When perfect isn’t always best. Balancing perfection and time management in a high pressure situation. Tommy Martinez, USNA Class of 1978 was a U.S. Marine Fire Direction Officer, plotting fires for his artillery battery. He and his team had to move at ni
Ikiru
What does this 1952 Japanese film, about a bureaucrat who discovers he has terminal cancer, tell us about choice, direction in life, and living authentically? What does it tell us about the focus and hard questions that often happen when confronted with o
Jurassic Park
What does this film tell us about the benefits and risks associated with reviving long extinct life forms? What is the interplay between scientific inquiry and entrepreneurial efforts in the film? What are the competing motivations in such cases? Do such
Innovation
Innovation, is it just for Silicon valley start-ups? Mr. Ray Kwong, discusses the intersection of risk tolerance, innovation, and the military. Mr. Kwong is a Naval Academy graduate, served as an E-warfare officer and retired as a Commander. He is Chairma
Ageism
Making an assumption about another’s life transition led to an uncomfortable parting when Dr. Clementine Fujimura was an academic Department Chair at the U. S. Naval Academy. Dr. Fujimura discusses a situation she would have handled quite differently rega