3 ms·
Here’s my reading of it: when speaking about dynamical systems with several interdependent moving parts, humans are fond of asking “why” questions and looking f
by dandelany 5y ago
Here’s my reading of it: when speaking about dynamical systems with several interdependent moving parts, humans are fond of asking “why” questions and looking for simple narratives in such systems where satisfying answers may not exist.
For example, imagine a three-body planetary system which exists in a pseudo-stable configuration for millions of years, until suddenly one of the planets gets slung off on a wild orbit and ejected from the system. A layman might be inclined to ask, “whoa, that’s weird, why did that happen?!” while the physicist will reply “All I can say is that planet A is where it is because of planets B & C, and B & C are where they are because of A.”
- antognini 5y agoI like that! The way I interpreted it when hearing it at the conference he was saying that we were all here at the conference because he had organized it, but he was there because we were all there to talk about our research. But the great thing about a good parable is that there are endless interpretations. :)
- dandelany 5y agoHa, I suppose in context your interpretation makes more sense :)