Brain Inspired BI 203 David Krakauer: How To Think Like a Complexity Scientist
92 snips
Jan 14, 2025 
David Krakauer, president of the Santa Fe Institute, is a prominent expert in complexity science and author of "The Complex World." In this intriguing discussion, he explores the four pillars of complexity—entropy, evolution, dynamics, and computation. Topics include the historical context of complexity science, the interplay of agency and emergent properties, and how time scales affect our understanding of systems. Krakauer also addresses the challenges of integrating various disciplines and the significance of information theory in neuroscience.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
McCullough and Pitts
- Walter Pitts, a homeless child prodigy, corresponded with Bertrand Russell and audited Carnap's lectures.
- He collaborated with Warren McCullough on a foundational neural networks paper in 1943.
Complexity Science Origins
- Complexity science emerged from the intersection of thermodynamics and natural history observations during the 19th century.
- Four pillars—entropy, evolution, dynamics, and computation—define the field.
Broken Symmetries
- Broken symmetries represent states not explained by fundamental laws but by initial conditions.
- This concept is crucial for understanding complex phenomena like DNA and transistors.