Yes there is an algorithm. It may not be concise, it may not be found in one place, and nobody alive may be able to explain it to you, but the existence of tim

Yes there is an algorithm. It may not be concise, it may not be found in one place, and nobody alive may be able to explain it to you, but the existence of timelines that are ordered certainly implies the existence of 'the algorithm' that is used to order timelines. I mean even if timelines were totally random, or based on some external facts, there is an algorithm that is being used to order them. This isn't just an academic distinction. Claiming 'there is no algorithm' because the algorithm is intentionally or unintentionally obfuscated or complicated has implications if that claim of 'no algorithm' is accepted. If my algorithm for approving mortgage applications is explicitly racist, I can just spread it's functionality across myriad services owned by lots of teams, make it almost impossible to figure out how it works, and then avoid any responsibility by saying 'there is no algorithm to decide loan approvals'? That would be bullshit!