Cabinet of Wonders

Cabinet of Wonders explores the intersection of science, technology, complexity, humanities, and wonder through a radical interdisciplinary lens. It delves into topics from computing and AI to the humanities, showcasing the beauty and complexity of computational systems and their impact on culture, storytelling, innovation, and existential questions.

Computing and Creativity Artificial Intelligence Physics and Computing Intersection Computational Complexity Humanities and Technology AI Ethics and Alignment Philology and Computation Humanity in the Age of AI Open Source Culture Simulation and Reality Narrative and Coding Innovation and Change Historical Perspectives on Technology Educational Technology

The hottest Substack posts of Cabinet of Wonders

And their main takeaways

☞ The Spreadsheet is a Simulation Machine

87 HN points • 11 Mar 24

Spreadsheets are powerful simulation machines that allow users to build little worlds, play with scenarios, and predict the future.
Spreadsheets are widely used in various fields such as small businesses, hedge funds, and biology laboratories due to their power, transparency, and ease of use.
The act of creating and modifying a spreadsheet is akin to world-building, where users can manipulate data, test different parameters, and see how systems respond.

☞ The Garden of Computational Delights

230 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23

🕹 Technology Computing Innovation Data Emerging Tech

Computing goes beyond utilitarian purposes to bring delight and wonder through creative coding and simulations.
The 'Garden of Computational Delights' is a collection of places that evoke fascination with web, programming, and computing.
The boundaries of what fits in the 'Garden' are fuzzy, personal, and idiosyncratic, showcasing a diverse range of computer-related interests.

☞ The Linnaean Instinct and List-Making

4 HN points • 13 Feb 24

🔬 Science Philosophy Technology History Systems Biology

Cataloging and organizing the world is an essential human instinct to understand our surroundings.
The Linnaean instinct serves as a stepping stone to unifying ideas by organizing facts and data first.
The Linnaean Instinct is crucial in technology to manage history, learn from past choices, and drive innovation.

☞ Multiplayer Mandelbrot

3 HN points • 09 Jan 24

🔬 Science Mathematics Technology

Fractals like the Mandelbrot set contain infinite levels of complexity and beauty.
Zooming into the Mandelbrot set reveals vast scales - even zoomed to a billion miles wide!
Exploring the Mandelbrot set offers a realm of discovery, guaranteeing unseen mathematical caves.

☞ The Subtle Magic of Catalyzing Change

2 HN points • 12 Dec 23

🕹 Technology Innovation Networking Conferences

Innovation and progress often result from incremental changes and combining ideas.
Individuals who act as catalysts by connecting people and ideas play a crucial role in driving change.
Being a catalyst or a 'trim tab' can have a significant impact, even if it's subtle and less flashy.

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☞ The Kitchen Sink Conundrum and Simulation's Balancing Act

2 HN points • 13 Nov 23

🔬 Science Simulation Complexity Modeling AI Prediction

Simulating a world is complex and imperfect due to chaos theory.
Adding excessive detail to a simulation may not improve understanding of reality.
There is a tradeoff between complexity and accuracy in computational models.

☞ The Sewing Machine as Personal Computer?

2 HN points • 04 Oct 23

🕹 Technology History Software Hardware Digitalization Innovation

Sewing machines were like the personal computers of the past, with patterns as their software.
Sewing patterns provided usable information for creating a wide variety of garments.
Just like software, sewing patterns required effort and resources to create and distribute.

☞ Determining the Properties of Your Computational Universe

3 HN points • 05 Jul 23

🔬 Science Computing Mathematics Simulation Technology Physics

By summing powers of two, one can determine the properties of a specific machine.
Binary numbers play a key role in understanding how machines store and handle data.
While playful, some have applied mathematical techniques to explore the properties of the universe.

☞ Computation as Philology

2 HN points • 05 Sep 23

🔬 Science Interdisciplinary Computation Language Humanities

Philology was a universal field that attracted various topics but later specialized, similar to how computation can unify various areas of knowledge.
Computation can act as a uniquely unifying framework, connecting ideas from various fields of knowledge.
The concept of \

☞ AI, Semiotic Physics, and the Opcodes of Story World

4 HN points • 20 Mar 23

🕹 Technology AI Language Models Narrative Techniques Artificial Intelligence Storytelling

Language models like GPT-4 are viewed as simulators constructing models of a text world.
The concept of semiotic physics explores the dynamics of signs induced by AI simulators.
Studying humanities concepts can enhance understanding of narrative structures in language models.

☞ The Edges Cases Where Computing and Physics Intersect

4 HN points • 07 Feb 23

Computers are physical devices and their physicality can lead to weird glitches and failures.
Unexpected interactions between computing and the physical world can cause bizarre errors.
Examples include helium affecting iPhone oscillators, a warped floor tile causing tape drive issues, and gas lift chairs affecting monitor cables.

☞ The Monkey's Paw, Norbert Wiener, and the Alignment Problem

3 HN points • 17 Apr 23

🔬 Science AI Cybernetics Artificial Intelligence Technology Complex Systems

AI alignment is a topic of growing concern as generative AI advances.
Norbert Wiener explored the challenges of aligning intentions with consequences in his book 'God & Golem, Inc.'
Feedback on intentions is crucial for preventing catastrophic outcomes in intelligent systems.

☞ AI, the God of the Gaps, and Our Quintessential Humanity

2 HN points • 23 May 23

🕹 Technology AI Existentialism Ethics Artificial General Intelligence Humanity

AI technologies are advancing rapidly and causing society to question the essence of humanity.
As AI accomplishes tasks once thought unique to humans, concerns arise about job security and existential dread.
It's essential to focus on our quintessential humanity, not just what makes us unique, and find meaning in our lives beyond what AI can do.

☞ Ancient Myths and Open Source

2 HN points • 02 May 23

🕹 Technology Open Source Software AI Programming Evolution

Open source software is like storytelling: it can last through community involvement.
Ancient myths and open source code share a blend of tradition and continuous innovation.
Living texts, whether stories or code, require community involvement to thrive and evolve.

☞ The Art of Computational Narrative

2 HN points • 08 Mar 23

🕹 Technology Programming Artificial Intelligence Software Development Tech Culture Innovation

Biblical narrative and computer code have similarities in a relatively small vocabulary.
Code needs to act while biblical texts are meant to be read aloud and understood in a different context.
Different programming languages have unique literary features and can create different computational 'accents.'

☞ General Turtle, Inc. and Educational Machines

1 HN point • 13 Jun 23

🕹 Technology Hardware Software Educational Technology Machine Learning

General Turtle, Inc. was a hardware startup focusing on educational technology.
They created a unique 'general single-purpose machine' combining single-purpose hardware with the open-ended nature of personal computers.
Exploring the concept of limited yet focused machines might present valuable insights for modern technology.

☞ The Magic of Code

1 HN point • 26 Apr 23

📚 Literature Technology Coding Books Writing Novel

The author is writing a book titled 'The Magic of Code' that explores how digital language has shaped the modern world and will shape the future.
The book will cover a wide range of topics such as the complexity of technology, glitches and bugs, the connection between coding and magic, old texts, simulation, and artificial life.
The author aims to make the computational realm fascinating and understandable for a broad audience by providing a novel mental lens and a liberal arts-infused approach to computing.