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Brian Christian: Algorithms to live by (2016, Henry Holt and Company) 4 stars

Algorithms to Live By looks at the simple, precise algorithms that computers use to solve …

Review of 'Algorithms to live by' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

A really interesting book applying some of the solutions we have learned from mathematics and computers to decision making for human beings in real life. Not only is it interesting how the one can apply to the other, but just the process of talking about it gives different insights in how to look at these real life problems.

If you've ever wondered things like:
- is having an empty inbox worth the time and effort it takes to organize your email daily?
- is having a tidy desk/house worth more than having the things you often need close to hand?
- how can I decide if I've found the "best" (house/spouse/job/etc) without predicting the future?

All these puzzles and more are discussed in this book through the lens of what mathematics/computer science theory tells us is the "best" solution, along with why this may or may not also apply to real life, and what you can do about it. No detailed mathematics is necessary, this is more about the theory and even philosophy than any direct numbers or formulas.

Not only is the theory itself fascinating (how do programmers deliberately introduce "randomness" or "mistakes" into a system to avoid computers getting stuck in loops) but so is the applicability to real world problems and why what we think we SHOULD do (such as keep an immaculately clean home) may not actually make logical sense (and now when my desk is a mess I can prove it's the most efficient solution!)

If these are topics that sound interesting to you, then I highly recommend picking up this book.