Algorithms to Live By

Posted on 01 October 2018 by Brian Christian

A fascinating exploration of how insights from computer algorithms can be applied to our everyday lives, helping to solve common decision making problems and illuminate the workings of the human mindAll our lives are constrained by limited space and time, limits that give rise to a particular set of problems What should we do, or leave undone, in a day or a lifetime How much messiness should we accept What balance of new activities and familiar favorites is the most fulfilling These may seem like uniquely human quandaries, but they are not computers, too, face the same constraints, so computer scientists have been grappling with their version of such issues for decades And the solutions they ve found have much to teach us.In a dazzlingly interdisciplinary work, acclaimed author Brian Christian and cognitive scientist Tom Griffiths show how the algorithms used by computers can also untangle very human questions They explain how to have better hunches and when to leave things to chance, how to deal with overwhelming choices and how best to connect with others From finding a spouse to finding a parking spot, from organizing one s inbox to understanding the workings of memory, Algorithms to Live By transforms the wisdom of computer science into strategies for human living. Download Algorithms to Live By – kino-fada.fr This is one of those books that you pick up in the hope that it lives up to its title but is likely not to because it was written by someone from marketing Every now and then it pays off, and this is one of those times.This book spoke volumes to me I have studied math, and I love math especially applying it to scientific problems But I have never looked into algorithms, nor have I been taught algorithms What a shame I took to the ideas instantly and it all made complete sense not only the This is one of those books that you pick up in the hope that it lives up to its title but is likely not to because it was written by someone from marketing Every now and then it pays off, and this is one of those times.This book spoke volumes to me I have studied math, and I love math especially applying it to scientific problems But I have never looked into algorithms, nor have I been taught algorithms What a shame I took to the ideas instantly and it all made complete sense not only the algorithms, but the living by them I guess it all ties into how our brains work and how Turing likened computers to our brains It all makes sense because our brains are computers that work by algorithms Messy algorithms that clash and battle against each other, but predictable in some ways.So embracing how...I was captivated by much of this book It s the perfect antidote to the argument you often hear from young maths students What s the point I ll never use this in real life This often comes up with algebra which often is useful , but reflects the way that we rarely cover the most applicable bits of maths to everyday life at high school Although this book is subtitled the computer science of human decisions , it s really about the maths of human decision making which is often supported b I was captivated by much of this book It s the perfect antidote to the argument you often hear from young maths students What s the point I ll never use this in real life This often comes up with algebra which often is useful , but reflects the way that we rarely cover the most applicable bits of maths to everyday life at high school Although this book is subtitled the computer science of human decisions , it s really a...I enjoy thinking about algorithms as they are applied to technical problems So, when I saw this book, I thought, This is a book written just for me And, that assessment was absolutely correct It is a fascinating book, all about how sophisticated algorithms are applicable to everyday problems.The book starts out describing the optimal stopping problem It is also sometimes called the secretary hiring problem , and I have seen it applied to dating to find a romantic partner, and this book I enjoy thinking about algorithms as they are applied to technical problems So, when I saw this book, I thought, This is a book written just for me And, that assessment was absolutely correct It is a fascinating book, all about how sophisticated algorithms are applicable to everyday problems.The book starts out describing the optimal stopping problem It is also sometimes called the secretary hiring problem , and I have seen it applied to dating to find a romantic partner, and th...Okay, I loved this book So what is it about The big pictureWe encounter many problems in our daily life, for instance, should I park my car here or proceed with the hope of finding a free spot a bit further Should I try new restaurants or just stick to good old ones I know How can I find my life s purpose What is the fastest way I can sort out my books, hmmm, should I even try sorting out my shelves How can I best schedule my tasks for maximum productivity and manyroutine problems lik Okay, I loved this book So what is it about The big pictureWe encounter many problems in our daily life, for instance, should I park my car here or proceed with the hope of finding a free spot a bit further Should I try new restaurants or just stick to good old ones I know How can I find my life s purpose What is the fastest way I can sort out my books, hmmm, should I even try sorting out my shelves How can I best schedule my tasks for maximum productivity and manyroutine problems like these These problems have a mathematical and computer science basis to which the s...A simple algorithm to conceive of literary plots could be to slot them as belonging to one of these categories Man vs Nature, Man vs Self, Man vs Man Man vs Society Brian Tom enlists findings from computer science to guide us through these Algorithms here are the shortcuts or even the intuitions that guide us through problems that are intractable at first glance We, apparently, use them everyday Brian Tom are here to document this and to show how exactly we can make th A simple algorithm to conceive of literary plots could be to slot them as belonging to one of these categories Man vs Nature, Man vs Self, Man vs Man Man vs Society Brian Tom enlists findings from computer science to guide us through these Algorithms here are the shortcuts or even the intuitions that guide us through problems that are intractable at first glance We, apparently, use them everyday Brian Tom are here to document this and to show how exactly we can make themefficient, by exploring the idea of human algor...I really enjoyed this book It s a nice popular review of research, in a style similar to Malcolm Gladwell It was fascinating to see the wide reaching applications of classic algorithms from computer science and also humbling to see how many problems are essentially impossible to truly optimize However, as luck would have it, there are often simple approximations that give a pretty good solution with very little effort The authors do a good job giving interesting backstory on the algorithms a I really enjoyed this book It s a nice popular review of research, in a style similar to Malcolm Gladwell It was fascinating to see the wide reaching applications of classic algorithms from computer science and also humbling to see how many problems are essentially impossible to truly optimize However, as luck would have it, there are often simple approximations that give a pretty good solution with very little effort The authors do a good job giving...Even though I m a computer programmer, I have to say when I saw the title I was a bit put off Algorithms are what I use for telling a computer what to do, but I m not sure I feel comfortable with using them to tell myself what to do Real life is less tidy and binary than the data in a computer.But, perhaps out of train wreck curiousity, I picked it up and took a look The first thing I noticed is that Alison Gopnik gave it a dust jacket endorsement Ok, you have my full attention now.Once I st Even though I m a computer programmer, I have to say when I saw the title I was a bit put off Algorithms are what I use for telling a computer what to do, but I m not sure I feel comfortable with using them to tell myself what to do Real life is less tidy and binary than the data in a computer.But, perhaps out of train wreck curiousity, I picked it up and took a look The first thing I noticed is that Alison Gopnik gave it a dust jacket endorsement Ok, you have my full attention now.Once I started reading, I understood a bit better what the authors were gett...An engaging conceptual tour of computational networking concepts, how they apply in the computer world, and how we can use them to reframe, streamline, and manage a diverse array of real life problems, both silly and serious As a reader who knows little about computer science but loves learning new frameworks, drawing analogies between disparate fields, and finding metaphors for life everywhere I thoroughly enjoyed this Some of my favorite principles concepts 37% rule of optimal stoppi An engaging conceptual tour of computational networking concepts, how they apply in the computer world, and how we can use them to reframe, streamline, and manage a diverse array of real life problems, both silly and serious As a reader who knows little about computer science but loves learning new frameworks, drawing analogies between disparate fields, and finding metaphors for life everywhere I thoroughly enjoyed this Some of my favorite principles concepts 37% rule of optimal stopping when to stop scouting prospects and just commit explore exploit tradeoff chance of finding a new gem vs certainty of enjoying a kno...Excelente mistura de matem tica, estat stica, computa o e problemas do dia a dia Um daqueles livros raros que te ensina coisas novas, novas perspectivas e ainda d dicas teis Uma tima surpresa Esperava mais sobre mente e bioqu mica mas n o fez falta nenhuma..Wow I did not expect this book to be this good Algorithms to live by is aptly named The authors use computer science problems to tackle everyday problems that every one of us encounters on a daily basis How should I schedule my day How should I organize my files When I found a parking spot, should I park or should I search a bitAll of these problems have a right answer, and people mostly don t know the answer This book has been sent .Wow I did not expect this...

English
01 October 2018

Brian Christian