Does Chinese Culture Dampen its Nobel Prospects?

Today, Rob and Lee change the format and have a debate about China and innovation, with Rob defending China and Lee arguing that there is something in Chinese culture that does not value innovation. Lee references Huang Tingjian and Su (Dongpo) Shi. Su Shi, the famous Song poet they did podcasts on before here and here.

Rob and Lee read this paper by Cong Cao before having this debate. Lee also references the following line from Su Shi:

天下之能事畢矣

Wang Yugen, one of the great scholars working on the Song, translates the line as “all the great achievements in the world have been completed.”