Preordered from Canada. Sounds fascinating. Congratulations!
I was thinking this week or your writing lately here reminds me of the old James Burke series « Connections ». He connected seemingly dissimilar historical facts, like the Jacquard loom to 20th C computing. Removing disciplinary barriers (as you say, blending it all together) can create new insights.
Thank you! And yes, I’ve read the book and seen part of the series. There certainly are bits of that kind of thing in Fluke...but a lot more than just the quirks of history!
Brian, this will definitely be pre-ordered in my end! So happy for you to get this out! I too am a frustrated, disillusioned social scientist (economist) but also a practitioner in power systems operation and control, energy and environmental policy, computational models, and regulatory policy. In all of these I am frustrated as nobody sees how disparate ideas and methods have all come together to get us where we are today. And the random, chance meetings that have shaped us all.
The line from the Allmann Brothers song “Seven Turns” is most appropriate: Running wild out of the road, like a leaf on the wind, how in the world would you ever know we’d ever meet again.”
I cannot wait Brian, congrats!! I've been wrestling with many philosophical and Buddhist theories over the last few years sprinkled with psychology and social science and I keep coming back to the same place...none of it is effectively conclusive or morally satisfying. I'm so grateful for your writing! Much frisbee throwing for Zorro!
Oct 6, 2023·edited Oct 6, 2023Liked by Brian Klaas
Amazing, congrats!
Sounds thought provoking - I really like these sentiments. Very similar to themes that have been on my mind lately. Can’t wait to read it and will pre-order.
I’ve also recently come to find a prevalent, dogmatic attitude born out of supposed rationality and the sciences, though you seem to have nailed it far more precisely. It seems to me a bit harmful to the pursuit of knowledge as well as healthy societies. This impulse to just focus on the signal, the supposed data, ignore all this other stuff, the supposed noise. But like you say, that other stuff adds up and is an essential part of the data set regardless. Even if difficult measure or impossible to measure scientifically, this stuff still exists. Many of dogmatic “rationalists” just seem to totally ignore such information. It seems to me a bit of a defense mechanism- it is often scary and unsettling to deal with uncertainty.
I find this analogous to a distinction in Native American vs European spiritual sentiments. The European worldview centers on individuals and ownership, which promotes this sort of thinking, keep your eye on “the prize” and do whatever it takes to trap resources, with little thought to externalities. Meanwhile, Native American sentiments revolve around fitting into a complex, sacred and inexplicably interconnected world. So trap only the resources required for use
I found this banned Ted talk to cover some of these ideas. Cheers
Absolutely spot on with the paragraph on interconnection -- I reference some of the Native American ideas in the text. Sounds like we are on the same wavelength!
I need this book. So I shall pre-order it. It was the title of your blog that first drew me in, because Borges, then I listened to your podcast, and now I find that I love your writing and the way your writing mind works. Magpies recognise other magpies.
Okay, Brian, I’m in. You had me with the title, to be honest, but you cemented the deal by citing fields that never talk to one another. This is the reason I intensely resist using the term The Real World (a difficult thing to do when one works at a university).
The reason the world is so hard to navigate is because it is the collision of so many fantasies masquerading as explanations. I’m very much looking forward to an intelligent exploration of the chaos.
Preordered from Canada. Sounds fascinating. Congratulations!
I was thinking this week or your writing lately here reminds me of the old James Burke series « Connections ». He connected seemingly dissimilar historical facts, like the Jacquard loom to 20th C computing. Removing disciplinary barriers (as you say, blending it all together) can create new insights.
Thank you! And yes, I’ve read the book and seen part of the series. There certainly are bits of that kind of thing in Fluke...but a lot more than just the quirks of history!
Pre-ordered three copies - looking forward to reading and gifting - thank you for your work, Brian...
Thank you!!
Done ☑️
Excellent AND it has the fabulous Sabine’s imprimatur - can’t do better than that!
Now throw the frisbee, why don’t you?
Believe me, I do, dozens of times every day. Sometimes hundreds. It’s his greatest joy!
Just pre-ordered from Australia! Excited 😊
Thank you!
Exciting! Good for you, just pre-ordered and will be glad of the preview in substack!
Congratulations 🎉.
Thank you. I hope you like it -- and yes, I’ll probably release the introduction in two parts in a month or two to give you a sense of the book
Can't wait. Pre-ordered. Congrats on the book.
Thank you!
Brian, this will definitely be pre-ordered in my end! So happy for you to get this out! I too am a frustrated, disillusioned social scientist (economist) but also a practitioner in power systems operation and control, energy and environmental policy, computational models, and regulatory policy. In all of these I am frustrated as nobody sees how disparate ideas and methods have all come together to get us where we are today. And the random, chance meetings that have shaped us all.
The line from the Allmann Brothers song “Seven Turns” is most appropriate: Running wild out of the road, like a leaf on the wind, how in the world would you ever know we’d ever meet again.”
I cannot wait Brian, congrats!! I've been wrestling with many philosophical and Buddhist theories over the last few years sprinkled with psychology and social science and I keep coming back to the same place...none of it is effectively conclusive or morally satisfying. I'm so grateful for your writing! Much frisbee throwing for Zorro!
Thank you! I hope you’ll find my answers persuasive and interesting.
Amazing, congrats!
Sounds thought provoking - I really like these sentiments. Very similar to themes that have been on my mind lately. Can’t wait to read it and will pre-order.
I’ve also recently come to find a prevalent, dogmatic attitude born out of supposed rationality and the sciences, though you seem to have nailed it far more precisely. It seems to me a bit harmful to the pursuit of knowledge as well as healthy societies. This impulse to just focus on the signal, the supposed data, ignore all this other stuff, the supposed noise. But like you say, that other stuff adds up and is an essential part of the data set regardless. Even if difficult measure or impossible to measure scientifically, this stuff still exists. Many of dogmatic “rationalists” just seem to totally ignore such information. It seems to me a bit of a defense mechanism- it is often scary and unsettling to deal with uncertainty.
I find this analogous to a distinction in Native American vs European spiritual sentiments. The European worldview centers on individuals and ownership, which promotes this sort of thinking, keep your eye on “the prize” and do whatever it takes to trap resources, with little thought to externalities. Meanwhile, Native American sentiments revolve around fitting into a complex, sacred and inexplicably interconnected world. So trap only the resources required for use
I found this banned Ted talk to cover some of these ideas. Cheers
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sF03FN37i5w
Absolutely spot on with the paragraph on interconnection -- I reference some of the Native American ideas in the text. Sounds like we are on the same wavelength!
I need this book. So I shall pre-order it. It was the title of your blog that first drew me in, because Borges, then I listened to your podcast, and now I find that I love your writing and the way your writing mind works. Magpies recognise other magpies.
What a lovely, kind note. Thank you!
Okay, Brian, I’m in. You had me with the title, to be honest, but you cemented the deal by citing fields that never talk to one another. This is the reason I intensely resist using the term The Real World (a difficult thing to do when one works at a university).
The reason the world is so hard to navigate is because it is the collision of so many fantasies masquerading as explanations. I’m very much looking forward to an intelligent exploration of the chaos.
Thanks, Jim! Yes, based on that comment, I suspect you’ll like it!
Looking forward to read this!
I have also pre-ordered and am really looking forward to reading it!
By the way, "Zorro" is a great name for a frisbee-loving dog!
pre-ordered on Kindle!
Brian, you had me at “invisible pivots.” I’m going to preorder this afternoon at the independent bookstore in my neighborhood.
Thank you! And even better supporting the local bookshops!