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Luminary

Brian Arthur on technology, software, and economic systems

Jun 27, 2022
Brian Arthur, storied economist and complexity thinker, discusses topics such as the evolution of technology, the role of software in shaping economic systems, the concept of increasing returns, and the representation of the human condition in Star Wars.
01:29:26

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Technology evolves through the accumulation of existing technologies, shaping our lives and standard of living.
  • Software benefits from increasing returns, with initial high costs but subsequent low costs to replicate and distribute, leading to market advantage.

Deep dives

The Nature of Technology and Its Evolution

Technology, according to Dr. Brian Arthur, is a means to a purpose or multiple purposes. He delves into the evolution of technology and its common patterns, drawing parallels between the evolution of species and the evolution of technology. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how technology works and its origins. Dr. Arthur spent years studying different technologies and their components, noticing that technologies are built out of other existing technologies. He also highlights the significance of technology in shaping our lives, stating that our standard of living depends on the advancements of technology.

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