The hottest Complexity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

AI, Cybernetics, and Complexity: unpacking the 2024 Nobel Prizes

Complexity Thoughts • 319 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🔬 Science Complexity Cybernetics Artificial Intelligence Physics Biology
  1. The 2024 Nobel Prizes recognized important advances in AI, but these discoveries are also deeply connected to complex systems. This shows that complexity science is becoming a more accepted area in high-level research.
  2. Understanding complex systems requires looking beyond traditional boundaries of science. The future of breakthroughs may rely on merging different scientific fields and using interdisciplinary approaches.
  3. Success in tackling complex challenges, like climate change and health issues, will need both detailed analysis of parts and a broader view of systems. Researchers must balance reductionist methods with insights from complexity science.

Solving Difficult Problems as a Filter

Bzogramming • 45 implied HN points • 15 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Problem Solving Complexity Constraints Creativity Human nature
  1. Asking good questions is key to solving problems. Starting with simple, unrelated questions helps narrow down possibilities and find better answers.
  2. Simplicity is usually better, but complexity can sneak in. Adding constraints to a problem can reduce options quickly, so it's important to manage them wisely.
  3. Being too picky when looking for solutions or people can backfire. Sometimes it’s better to adapt and make things work with what's available, instead of searching for the perfect fit.

Why We Pray: Israel, Gaza and Complexity Tolerance

The Bigger Picture • 1238 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Prayer Psychology Sociology Emotions Complexity
  1. Prayer can help us navigate complex and uncertain times, offering a blend of personal and social connection, and providing a unique space for agency and emotional processing.
  2. Expanding our 'complexity tolerance' is essential in a world filled with overwhelming information; by building emotional resilience and cognitive flexibility, we can better handle and make sense of complexity.
  3. Prayer is not about escape, but a way to engage truth and beauty even in the face of horror, providing a connection to deeper truths and a return to inner sanctuaries of tranquility and vulnerability.

Complex systems emerge from simple rules

Tecnica • 55 HN points • 28 Jul 24
🔬 Science Biology Physics Chemistry Emergence Complexity
  1. Complex systems can develop from just a few simple rules, like in the Game of Life. It shows how starting with basic ideas can create amazing patterns and interactions.
  2. Emergence means that new, complex properties appear from simpler components interacting together. This is true for nature, biology, and even technology like AI.
  3. Human thoughts and actions also have an emergent nature. We often wonder where our ideas come from and what rules guide our decisions.
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TBM 269: Three Organizational Design Principles

The Beautiful Mess • 1057 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
💼 Business Organizational Design Collaboration Leadership Management Complexity
  1. Hierarchical Collaboration Parity is crucial for success in organizations - leaders need to collaborate as much as front-line team members.
  2. Alignment and Work Style Gaps need to be addressed to improve team effectiveness.
  3. Organizations must confront deep-seated tensions, or 'Elephants in the Room', to prevent adverse outcomes and stress on teams.

The Case for Uninterpretable Machine Learning

Mindful Modeler • 319 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Complexity Interpretability Flexibility Neural Networks
  1. Machine learning excels because it's not interpretable, not in spite of it.
  2. Embracing complexity in models like neural networks can effectively capture the intricacies of real-world tasks that lack simple rules or semantics.
  3. Interpretable models can outperform complex ones with smaller datasets and ease of debugging, but being open to complex models can lead to better performance.

Four ways of thinking

Logging the World • 199 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🔬 Science Mathematics Complexity Statistics Chaos Evolution
  1. The book 'Four Ways of Thinking' by David Sumpter discusses four philosophies that map onto the four types of cellular automata identified by Stephen Wolfram, with historical anecdotes and life lessons.
  2. The book explores statistical, interactive, chaotic, and complex ways of thinking, connecting topics like cellular automata, chaos theory, and modern statistics with practical applications.
  3. David Sumpter's book introduces the complexity of modern mathematical research, showcasing the emergence of complicated behavior from simple rules and the fascinating concept of quantifying complexity in patterns.

Understanding Branchless Programming [Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 119 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming Performance Debate Complexity Optimization
  1. Branchless programming is a technique that minimizes the use of branches in code to avoid performance penalties.
  2. Branchless programming can offer optimization benefits, but its complexity can outweigh the performance gains and make code maintenance challenging.
  3. Simpler code is often better than overly complex code, and branchless programming may not be suitable for most developers despite its potential performance improvements.

A Linear Algebra Trick for Computing Fibonacci Numbers Fast

Confessions of a Code Addict • 158 HN points • 05 Nov 23
🔬 Science Mathematics Computing Algorithms Linear Algebra Complexity
  1. A linear algebra technique can be applied to compute Fibonacci numbers quickly with a logarithmic time complexity.
  2. Efficient algorithms like repeated squaring can compute powers of matrices in logarithmic time, improving performance for Fibonacci number calculations.
  3. A closed form expression using the golden ratio offers a direct method to compute Fibonacci numbers, showing different approaches with varied performance.

Techno-Optimism Vs. Nature

The Digital Anthropologist • 39 implied HN points • 04 Nov 23
🔬 Science Technology Nature Evolution Complexity Harmony
  1. Techno-Optimism focuses on using technology to evolve and overcome biological weaknesses imposed by nature.
  2. Techno-Optimists often misunderstand the origins of technology, which actually stem from nature and natural resources.
  3. Harmonizing technology with nature can lead to greater chances of human evolution and discovery, showing the importance of working alongside nature.

Let Nature Choose Your Deadlines

NonTrivial • 39 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🔬 Science Creativity Complexity Innovation
  1. Life presents challenges that require building physical solutions with useful outputs, necessitating deadlines for progress and control.
  2. Deadlines are a modern construct; our ancestors followed a more natural rhythm based on our energy and instinct, not strict time constraints.
  3. Nature's deadlines are determined by the structural complexity needed for solutions to hard problems, so focusing on invariant, abstract aspects early on can help us align with those deadlines.

Series Kickoff — DDIA Book Review x Event Sourcing, Streaming and Modeling

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 39 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Event Sourcing Complexity
  1. The post discusses a series on learnings from the book 'Designing Data-Intensive Applications' by Martin Kleppmann.
  2. Topics covered include event sourcing, data engineering, event modeling, data flow, and complexity.
  3. The author is preparing a new series to share insights and highlights from the mentioned book.

LL #39 | Thriving in Complexity

The Leadership Lab • 59 implied HN points • 02 Oct 22
💼 Business Leadership Complexity Decision-making Change Management Entrepreneurship
  1. Navigating complexity requires a multivariate approach, as simple stories and the need to be right can be traps. Success in complex situations demands attention to various key variables simultaneously.
  2. The Cynefin framework helps in understanding different environments and guides appropriate actions based on the level of predictability in each environment. It is crucial to align strategies with the complexity of the situation at hand.
  3. Effective leadership involves asking different questions, considering multiple perspectives, and seeing in systems. These habits aid in better addressing complexity and making informed decisions.

On attack, defence and the beautiful game

The Jolly Contrarian • 19 implied HN points • 01 May 23
🎾 Sports Strategy Analysis Risk management Games Complexity
  1. Different values are placed on attack and defence in sports like football based on the asymmetry of payoffs between the two roles.
  2. Defenders focus on conservative, coordinated actions to maintain the status quo, while attackers take big risks to improve the position.
  3. Infinite games, characterized by complex systems and unpredictable outcomes, require the ability to adjust, react, adapt, and capitalize on opportunities in a changing environment.

Descriptivism

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 25 Sep 22
📖 Philosophy Language Communication Argumentation Cognition Complexity
  1. Language is complex and can't be boiled down to strict rules. People use language in many different ways, and that's okay.
  2. Binary thinking often simplifies complicated issues, making it hard to have productive discussions. It's important to recognize that many problems aren't just black and white.
  3. Embracing complexity opens up better conversations. Instead of forcing a win/lose situation, focusing on the nuances can lead to understanding and progress.

How to Estimate the solutions time complexity [Technique Tuesday]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 23 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Coding Interviews Techniques Estimation Complexity
  1. Estimating time complexity before fully solving a problem can act as a guide in coding interviews, especially when time-constrained.
  2. Estimating complexity helps in ensuring close-to-optimal solutions and deciding whether to continue optimizing or move on to the next question.
  3. Develop intuition and technical knowledge to effectively use this technique, but remember to focus on basics first if you're new to this approach.

Seeing like a system

Perambulations • 3 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🔬 Science Systems Interdisciplinary Complexity Philosophy
  1. Systems often have hidden complexities that grow beyond their initial purpose, leading to unintended consequences.
  2. Systems can become rigid and resistant to change, focusing on perfecting past plans rather than adapting to new challenges.
  3. Understanding how systems function can help us critically analyze and navigate the systems we interact with in our daily lives.

The Relentless Pursuit of Moore's Law

Bits and Bytes • 5 HN points • 16 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Computing Innovation Abstraction Complexity Chip Design
  1. Moore's Law has driven progress in computing for decades by doubling transistor counts every 2 years.
  2. The management of complexity in computing has been achieved through abstraction and refactoring across multiple disciplines.
  3. Future advances in computing will likely involve raising the level of abstraction and introducing new tools to handle increasing transistor counts.

TBM 274: How Capable Leaders Navigate Uncertainty and Ambiguity

The Beautiful Mess • 3 HN points • 25 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Skills Interviewing Complexity Problem Solving
  1. Accepting one's role in a problem is vital for capable leadership. Recognizing personal contributions to a situation allows for growth and improvement.
  2. Encouraging new interaction patterns fosters creativity and growth. Facilitating connections and exposure to new experiences can lead to positive outcomes.
  3. Patiently allowing for divergence and exploring multiple solutions is key. Resisting the urge to rush towards solutions can yield more innovative and effective approaches.

#32 Mutations, aglets & our (over)complicated world

Design Lobster • 19 implied HN points • 07 Sep 20
🪑 Design Complexity Innovation
  1. The world is increasingly complex, leading people to believe in strange theories. Designers must approach their work with humility and a focus on simplifying complexity.
  2. Designers should appreciate unnoticed elements, like aglets on shoelaces, which are essential yet often overlooked in their design.
  3. Good designers combine different perspectives to create unexpected and innovative solutions, akin to mutagens in biology that produce mutations.

Management

Fish Food for Thought • 2 HN points • 03 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Complexity Global Influence
  1. Ikigai is a concept that ties together the essentials for happiness: something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.
  2. Effective management involves nurturing potential, guiding careers, and creating environments for creativity and innovation to flourish.
  3. A noble manager strikes a balance between meeting organizational goals and ensuring employee well-being, fostering loyalty and trust within the team.

Will Model Weights Be Patented?

Embracing Enigmas • 0 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Patents Data Complexity Enforcement
  1. Model weights in AI may become a subject of patenting, similar to chemical molecules.
  2. Current AI models are approximations that may converge to similar results, leading to a race for patenting to gain advantage.
  3. Enforcing patents on model weights in AI may face challenges due to the complexity of the weights and the rapidly evolving nature of the field.

The idea of an "aligned superintelligence" seems misguided :/

Scott Sadler's Substack • 0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🕹 Technology AI Complexity AGI Risk mitigation AI Governance
  1. The concept of aligning superintelligence seems challenging due to the complexity of managing it
  2. Complexity tends to escape control over time, posing a significant challenge for AI safety
  3. We should focus on analyzing and mitigating risks, socializing AI, and involving multiple fields to prepare for potential AI threats