brucewiggins.dev

On Great Work

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

The Uncomfortable Truth About AI 'Reasoning'

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A discussion between cognitive scientist Gary Marcus and physicist Brian Greene on the true capabilities and structural limitations of current generative AI models. Marcus argues that while large language models are proficient at mimicking the surface-level appearance of logical reasoning, they lack the underlying cognitive architecture required to generalize beyond their training sets.

Guessing with Style

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AI is an incredible force multiplier for engineers who already know how to build a system. But if we outsource architectural intuition to a transformer model without grounding it in raw telemetry and end-to-end load testing, we aren't engineering anymore—we're just guessing with style.

Yann LeCun — World Models

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Yann LeCun’s lecture at ETH Zürich outlining his vision for the next generation of artificial intelligence. He contrasts current autoregressive LLMs with energy-based world models capable of reasoning, planning, and understanding causality, arguing that true machine intelligence requires learning from passive observation rather than simple next-token predictions.

Prototyping Myopia

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It is a case of hyper-fixated technological optimism leading to algorithmic deference. The leader, seduced by the conversational fluency and immediate output of the tool, undergoes a form of prototyping myopia—over-indexing on isolated AI capabilities while losing their strategic anchor in the broader operational reality of the business.

AI Snake Oil

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A critical and clear-eyed look at the capabilities and limitations of modern artificial intelligence. The authors dismantle the hype surrounding machine learning, showing where it succeeds, where it fails, and why predictive AI often amounts to little more than snake oil. It serves as an essential guide to distinguishing genuine technological progress from empty marketing claims.

Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A fascinating critique of how technology ceases to be a tool and becomes a culture of its own, redefining what we value and how we reason. Neil Postman's insights from 1992 feel more relevant today than ever.

On Focus

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully."

First Principles Thinking

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

"I think it’s important to reason from first principles rather than by analogy. The normal way we conduct our lives is we reason by analogy. [With analogy] we are doing this because it’s like something else that was done, or it’s like what other people are doing... [With first principles] you boil things down to the most fundamental truths… and then reason up from there."

Elon Musk

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Walter Isaacson’s intimate biography of Elon Musk, the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. The book chronicles his tempestuous childhood in South Africa, his intense drive, and his hands-on leadership style at SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and Starlink.

Permanent Record

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Edward Snowden’s memoir, Permanent Record. The book details his upbringing, his role as a systems administrator and engineer for the CIA and NSA, and the series of technological developments and policies that led to his whistleblowing decision in 2013. It is a crucial, first-hand account of the creation of the system of global mass surveillance and the personal cost of exposing it.

Think Different

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Steve Jobs

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Walter Isaacson’s riveting, detailed biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with family, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—it offers a raw, unfiltered look at the creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A counterintuitive guide to living a good life. Instead of promoting relentless positive thinking, Manson argues that the path to resilience and happiness lies in learning to better handle adversity, accepting our limitations, and choosing to care only about what is truly meaningful.

Apple — Think Different (Steve Jobs Narration)

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The legendary "Think Different" commercial narrated by Steve Jobs himself. While the aired version of the campaign was voiced by Richard Dreyfuss, this version—narrated by Jobs—was released later and serves as an intimate, powerful statement of Apple's core philosophy and respect for the crazy ones who change the world.

3Blue1Brown — Neural Networks

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Grant Sanderson’s brilliant visual introduction to the mathematics of deep learning. Using intuitive animations, the series breaks down what a neural network actually is, how gradient descent works, and the core calculus behind backpropagation.

The Universe in a Nutshell

Tue, 14 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Stephen Hawking’s visually rich sequel to A Brief History of Time, delving into the cutting-edge developments in theoretical physics. The book guides readers through supergravity, M-theory, hologram cosmology, and the search for a unified theory of everything. Hawking illustrates these mind-bending concepts with clarity, revealing the universe's astonishing architecture.

Neural Networks: Zero to Hero

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Andrej Karpathy’s masterclass series on building neural networks from scratch in Python. Starting from basic backpropagation up to building a full GPT-style transformer, this playlist is widely considered one of the most accessible and thorough resources for understanding deep learning from first principles.

A Brief History of Time

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Stephen Hawking’s landmark work in popular science, designed to introduce non-scientists to the profound mysteries of the cosmos. The book explains complex astronomical concepts such as the Big Bang, black holes, general relativity, and quantum mechanics in clear, accessible language. It remains a definitive guide to humanity's ongoing quest to understand the origin and ultimate fate of our universe.

Human Compatible

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

AI pioneer Stuart Russell’s compelling analysis of the long-term risks posed by superhuman artificial intelligence. The book dismantles standard arguments downplaying AI risk and proposes a new foundation for AI development centered on provably beneficial machines. Russell argues that we must rebuild AI around the core principle of machines that are uncertain about human preferences, ensuring they always remain subservient to humanity.

Physics of the Impossible

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku explores the scientific plausibility of science-fiction concepts, categorizing "impossible" technologies into distinct classes based on our current understanding of physics. From teleporters and time travel to force fields and starships, Kaku explains how close we are to achieving these feats, showing how what seems impossible today might become reality in the centuries to come.

The Innovators

Wed, 18 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Walter Isaacson’s sweeping history of the digital revolution, tracing the pioneers who created the computer and the internet. The book explores how collaborative teamwork—rather than isolated genius—drove key breakthroughs from Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing to Steve Jobs and Larry Page. It serves as an essential chronicle of how the integration of science and the humanities shaped our modern world.

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman’s seminal work on cognitive biases and decision-making. The book details the two distinct systems that drive our thoughts: System 1, which is fast, intuitive, and emotional, and System 2, which is slower, more deliberative, and logical. It offers invaluable insights into how these systems interact, shape our judgments, and lead us into predictable errors of thinking.

Michio Kaku — The Universe in a Nutshell

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku discusses the ultimate quest of modern physics: the search for a unified "Theory of Everything." He outlines how string theory and quantum mechanics attempt to combine the forces of nature into a single, elegant equation, translating complex cosmic ideas into an accessible narrative.

The Law of Simplicity

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Walter Isaacson’s comprehensive biography of Albert Einstein, tracing how a rebellious, imaginative patent officer became the mind that unlocked the secrets of the cosmos. Based on Einstein’s personal letters, the book explores both his groundbreaking scientific discoveries and his complex personal and political life, painting a portrait of a solitary thinker driven by a deep sense of wonder.