Long Now: Seminars About Long-term Thinking

Nicky Case: Seeing Whole Systems

Aug 17, 2017

Nicky Case, creator of visualizing tools and games for understanding complex dynamic systems, discusses the importance of understanding whole systems and the role of visualization in scientific progress. They explore the concept of emergence using the example of starlings' collective dance, discuss fitness landscapes in evolution, and delve into the role of chaos in adaptation. They also emphasize the significance of concrete examples and abstractions in simulations and games, and explore the relationship between negative and positive feedback loops.

01:18:32

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Episode guests

Nicky Case

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Visualizing and playing with complex systems can foster communication and understanding across disciplines.

To navigate chaotic and interconnected systems, embrace chaos, introduce variations, and increase diversity for adaptive solutions.

By altering the hills or attractors in a system, it is possible to guide it towards desired outcomes and create change.

Deep dives

The Secret History of Monopoly

Monopoly board game has a secret history, based off an earlier game called The Landlord's Game. The inventor, Elizabeth Magie, designed the game to highlight the problems of land rent in the economic system. She later created an add-on called Prosperity, which aimed to offer a solution by redistributing funds and creating a universal basic income.

Introduction

5min

Visualizations as Maps for Understanding Complex Systems

34min

Understanding Emergence and the Dance of Starlings

15min

Understanding Fitness Landscapes and Evolution

3min

Chaos, Sex, and Evolution

2min

Using Concrete Examples and Abstractions in Simulations and Games

16min

Exploring Negative Loops and Positive Feedback

3min

Nicky Case’s presentations are as ingenious, compelling, and graphically rich as the visualizing tools and games Nicky creates for understanding complex dynamic systems. Case writes: “We need to see the non-linear feedback loops between culture, economics, and technology. Not only that, but we need to see how collective behavior emerges from individual minds and motives. We need new tools, theories, and visualizations to help people talk across disciplines.” Nicky Case is the creator of Parable of the Polygons (02014), Coming Out Simulator (02014), We Become What We Behold (02016), To Build A Better Ballot (02016), and LOOPY (02017).

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