Tag: Complex Systems
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Adversarial Emergence – How Optimization Systems Turn Against Us
A/B testing seems harmless. You compare two options, pick the one that performs better, repeat. But when “better” means more clicks, more time spent, or higher conversion, performance becomes a proxy for reaction. The system stops asking what works for people and starts asking what gets to them.
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Attention is Agency
Many systems—biological, social, cognitive, technological—don’t eliminate internal tensions; they govern them. At their core lies a structure: two enduring opposites and a mediating force. The opposites remain; the mediator governs their expression. This isn’t merely synthesis or compromise. This leads to agency.
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POSIWID – The Purpose Of a System Is What It Does
POSIWID, or “The Purpose Of a System Is What It Does,” posits that a system’s real purpose is evident through its outcomes, not its intended goals. This principle, applicable in various domains, emphasizes examining actual results to gain insights into system functionality and inform improvement strategies.
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Antifragility
Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s antifragility describes systems that gain from stress, differentiating from mere resilience. This principle, applicable from biological to economic systems, underscores growth and adaptation amidst volatility and unpredictability.
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Composability
Stemming from disciplines such as mathematics and engineering, composability is the practice of designing components that can be combined to create complex systems. Central to this is the emphasis on modularity and the harmonious interaction of these components.
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Lindy Effect
Originating from patterns noted at Lindy’s restaurant in New York, the Lindy Effect theorizes that the future lifespan of enduring entities, such as ideas, correlates with their current age. This concept offers a perspective on understanding persistence across various domains, from literature to technology.
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Hysteresis
Hysteresis describes systems where the current state is shaped by both past and present influences. Notable for its path dependence and non-linearity, the concept is particularly relevant in disciplines such as material science, engineering, and economics.