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# Five Best Ideas of the Day: December 19

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by 

[The Aspen Institute](https://time.com/author/the-aspen-institute/)


## The Aspen Institute


Dec 19, 2014 5:01 PM UTC

by 

[The Aspen Institute](https://time.com/author/the-aspen-institute/)


## The Aspen Institute


Dec 19, 2014 5:01 PM UTC

**1\.** [**America needs a new testament of hope: “Demanding that we trade confusion and bewilderment for a fight for change that only hope and radical optimism can sustain.”**](http://www.fordfoundation.org/equals-change/post/a-new-testament-of-hope)

By Darren Walker in Human Parts on Medium

**2\.** [**Data Integrity Unit: A team of detectives and data analysts is boosting the accuracy of crime statistics in Los Angeles.**](http://www.latimes.com/local/crime/la-me-lapd-crime-stats-20141217-story.html)

By Joel Rubin and Ben Post in the Los Angeles Times

**3\.** [**This remarkable community gives autistic children a connection inside the world of Minecraft — and might save their lives.**](http://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/this-minecraft-community-is-saving-the-lives-of-children-wit)

By Charlie Warzel in BuzzFeed

**4\.** [**Experts are debating whether artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity. It’s very possible that machines with far less intelligence will cause us harm.**](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn26716-fear-artificial-stupidity-not-artificial-intelligence.html?)

By Mark Bishop in New Scientist

**5\.** [**The Innovative State: Governments should make markets, not just fix them.**](http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/142496/mariana-mazzucato%E2%80%A8/the-innovative-state)

By Mariana Mazzucato in Foreign Affairs

![The Aspen Institute logo next to text: “The Five Best Ideas Today is produced jointly by TIME and The Aspen Ideas Institute”](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf784fa5d1d2a824e/69869105f983e74bc304dfdf/aspen6.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

[_The Aspen Institute_](http://www.aspeninstitute.org/) _is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C._

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