Most algorithms a Fragile. A few are Robust. This article is how we can do even better than Robust: How we can write Antifragile algorithms.
In his classic book, Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, Nassim Taleb differentiates between three types of things: the Fragile, the Robust, and the Antifragile.
…
What do all investments have in common? They all provide you with the opportunity to net some money. How much money? Various investments differ. Some have the potential to net you more money; others less.
Why do opportunities that net you less exist? After all, isn’t it rational to invest…
I toss a coin and try to guess the outcome. It is a game of my own invention: with no other players and no reward, except for the possible pain of losing or the pleasure of winning.
I call “heads” and toss the coin. The coin does, indeed, land “heads”.
…
Reality is the state of the universe; it is what is. Desire is our wish to change reality. Hell is a situation where reality and desires don’t match; and heaven is when they do.
Note, both hell and heaven exist in degrees. A hell where “I want to each chocolate…
Decentralization is touted as a key advantage of most decentralized systems.
For example, a crypto-currency built upon a blockchain-based distributed ledger is “decentralized”. In contrast, the national monetary system controlled by a central bank is “centralized”. The decentralization in the former might be considered an advantage over the latter because…
Some claim that blockchain-based solutions will solve all the world’s problems. From poverty to malnutrition, to war, to climate change. A panacea, elixir, and magic potion all rolled into one. These claims might even be true. Or they might not be.
But regardless, we can say one true thing about…
“What is the internet?” I ask you.
“A collection of devices connected by wires”, you reply.
“And what does it do?”
“The devices can communicate information with each other”, you continue. “For example, your phone and my phone are part of this network. I type in a message on WhatsApp…
You have two housemates.
One gives you not a moment’s peace. “Talk to me! Talk to me! Talk to me!” it mumbles at all hours. When you are working, sleeping, and at all times in between, you have no respite.
The other housemate is different: A polite friend who would…
Most Data Analyses are Fraud. Opinions disguised as Fact.
How do you tell the difference? Read on to find out.
Statistical analyses of experiments are usually accompanied by p-values (short for probability value).
What exactly is a p-value? Experiments have data and claims. The data is supposed to confirm or…
In How to Draw Sri Lanka’s New Electoral Map, we discussed the workings of an Electoral Map Mapping Algorithm (EMMA).
As we saw, EMMA takes the Old Electoral Map of Sri Lanka as input. It modifies it step-by-step, gradually making it more and more optimal in terms of the five…
