You Are Not So Smart

312 - Chaos and Complexity - Neil Theise (rebroadcast)

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Apr 28, 2025
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ANECDOTE

Langton's Game of Life Epiphany

  • A computer geek at MIT was captivated by Conway's Game of Life, seeing complex life-like patterns emerge from simple rules.
  • This inspired the realization that complexity lies at the edge of chaos, akin to the life of cities and ecosystems.
ANECDOTE

Chaos Theory Meets Alan Watts

  • Neil Theise was struck by the similarity of complexity science ideas to Ian Malcolm's character in Jurassic Park.
  • Alan Watts' whirlpool analogy resonated deeply, linking living identity to dynamic, stable patterns within larger systems.
INSIGHT

Basics of Complexity Science

  • Complexity science studies how interacting parts in systems self-assemble into wholes with emergent behaviors.
  • Systems can be perfectly ordered like clocks or chaotic like weather, both displaying fractal geometries and dynamic patterns.
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