Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Additive bias
Pointless thought, stupid question... or maybe not.
We have a habit of applying words like creative and innovative to additions, not subtractions. New features, new shapes, new colors.
BUT many of the best inventions and improvements are subtractions and reversions. Getting rid of unnecessary features and parts, falling back to an earlier model that worked better.
Neither way is universally superior. Depends on circumstances. Still, we undoubtedly lose some of the subtractive type because we reward and publicize the additive type.
The additive bias doesn't matter much when it loses an improvement in software or washing machines or door-locks. It can be deadly when it ignores or dismisses a needed reversion in BIG systems like culture and law and religion and economics and currencies. 
Labels: Real World Math
¶ 1:35 AM
