Eric Drexler on taking action in the face of limited knowledge
Science pursues answers to questions, but not always the questions that engineering must ask. The founding father of nanotechnology, Eric Drexler, who aptly described the difference between science...
View ArticleMargin of Safety: An Introduction to the Mental Model
Previously on Farnam Street, we covered the idea of Redundancy — a central concept in both the world of engineering and in practical life. Today we’re going to explore a related concept: Margin of...
View Article12 Life Lessons From Mathematician and Philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota
The mathematician and philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota spent much of his career at MIT, where students adored him for his engaging, passionate lectures. In 1996, Rota gave a talk entitled “Ten Lessons I...
View ArticleMaking the Most of Second Chances
We all get lucky. Once in a while we do something really stupid that could have resulted in death, but didn’t. Just the other day, I saw someone who was texting walk out into oncoming traffic, narrowly...
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