New Phaistos

In the mind of an engineer In the technology world that I live and breathe there is the strong belief that an optimal solution will always be chosen if it is possible. In most problems there is some sort of trade-off that has to be done. But if through analysis it is concluded that one of the solutions is actually better in all respects, then it follows to reason that this should be followed. My argument to you is that this is not the case. Optimal solutions are not always preferred. The illusion of meritocracy But wait a second - doesn't basic economic theory tells us that decisions are made in terms of risk vs reward? In other words, prudent people always compare expected profits versus expected risks and if the outcome is positive, they go ahead. Well, first of all, people are not (always) prudent. But second of all, this model also assumes people make decisions independent of each other. Actual reality is much messier. Tradition affects our judgement and hierarchy warps our wor...

Putting numbers on disorder Chaos vs order: a classic way to divide our world. Humanity has been fascinated by the distinction. In fact our fascination is so big, that we feel the need to measure the order/chaos of many systems. Pop science loves to use the "Entropy" metric for that. But is Entropy the appropriate unit? And does this adequately describe the things that matter to us such as language and biology? Let's talk! Measuring fuzziness Before unpacking entropy, first we need some context. Roughly speaking, there are two types of measurements. One is unit measurements (like length and speed) that describe the properties of a specific part. The other type of measurement is system measurements which measure high-level, collective behaviours that emerge only when parts form a whole and have no meaning at the level of individual parts. At this point you might be scratching your head. But it's simpler than it sounds. Think of group cohesion. Group cohesion basically ...

Ugly baby syndrome Sometimes, the ugly truth has to be spoken. And if you see it or know it, you need to take courage and speak up. This scenario plays way too often in corporate settings. Breaking down the news of poor sales, raising safety issues, pointing out the flaws in management culture ... all of it can happen! And while the issue gets unaddressed, the more the company sinks. After all, this is all that leadership is about: taking initiative and doing things that are not entirely confined in your job description. The trick is in the timing As with most sensitive topics, timing is everything. When you speak up can be the difference between being seen as responsible or being labelled a troublemaker. Here are two effective approaches: Raise the issue as soon as you notice it. Speaking up early shows transparency and avoids any impression that you’re quietly keeping score. Even if the ideal audience isn't present, starting the conversation gives you a strong reason to escal...

Infinite production, finite world No matter how much we wish otherwise, our world is finite. We have limited resources - and time. Through the internet and distribution of information, we have made sure that we all know this. And yet, what do we do? Our industries have helped us improve our lives and not depend on external factors so much. But the cost has been " planned obsolescence ". In other words, we make things that break on purpose - so we can keep making - so we can keep buying. How a broke light-bulb lit a cartel How did this "planned obsolescence" idea start? As with all secrete history, it is hard to pinpoint exactly the time. However, there is a very high profile case that happens to be well documented too - the case for light bulbs in the 20th century. You see, by the 20th century light bulbs started being adopted en masse. Everyone was getting more and more and the growth seemed limitless. But, more factories kept popping up and the first signs of mark...