Heuristics

Make a point

August 18, 2023

I write because it requires me to think. There’s no particular reason why I need to publish what I write. Having targets for what to write, and on what schedule to publish it, simply keeps me accountable. I am certainly better off for having done the writing and the thinking.

Make your point, make it clear, and get out of the reader’s way.

~ Morgan Housel from, https://collabfund.com/blog/useful-laws-of-the-land/

slip:4ucobo14.

By reading what others have written, I’ve found myself standing on the shoulders of giants.

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That escalated quickly

November 7, 2021

The answer from computer science is precise.

~ Stewart Brand from, https://blog.longnow.org/02016/07/01/brian-christian-seminar-media/

slip:4ulobi1.

‘When to stop’ is an insidiously difficult problem. Which has been solved. Whether or not you want to read that and learn some crazy heuristics, you already know the power of heuristics. They’re great when they work, until they don’t. So many Americans—whose heuristic is to glance left then step off the curb and then glance right—get wacked by cars in parts of London, they paint, “Look right,” in the street.

…which is great. Unless you’re Craig and your heuristic goes: Look left, look right, look left, and then step off. I look left, notice the words on the street, and look right. Then I go to look left, notice the words again… and look right, instead of left… then my brain screams OMGBECKY look left! Then I go to look left, notice the words again… and look right.

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