The Signal and the Corrective

19 December, 201717 January, 2022 ~ John Nerst ~ 4 Comments

The truth often lies somewhere between two opposing views. But even among people whose opinions are moderate and balanced, it matters a great deal which of the two sides come first and which is simply a moderation of the other. Read more (15 min, 3800 words)

Partial Derivatives and Partial Narratives

2 June, 201617 January, 2022 ~ John Nerst ~ 18 Comments

Just like we can take partial derivatives of mathematical functions, we can tell partial stories about the world and how it works. The problem is that stories always leave a lot out, and those leftovers might form someone else’s story.
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