Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions

by Brian Christian

We can be “computationally kind” to others by framing issues in terms that make the underlying computational problem easier.

seemingly innocuous language like “Oh, I’m flexible” or “What do you want to do tonight?” has a dark computational underbelly that should make you think twice. It has the veneer of kindness about it, but it does two deeply alarming things. First, it passes the cognitive buck: “Here’s a problem, you handle it.” Second, by not stating your preferences, it invites the others to simulate or imagine them. And as we have seen, the simulation of the minds of others is one of the biggest computational challenges a mind (or machine) can ever face.

subtle changes in design can radically shift the kind of cognitive problem posed to human users.

One of the chief goals of design ought to be protecting people from unnecessary tension, friction, and mental labor.