Aidan McCullen and Samuel Arbesman dive into code as a humanistic “superpower,” biology–computation parallels, artificial life, and the simulation hypothesis—tempered by humility and curiosity.
In this thought-provoking episode, Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show — welcomes Samuel Arbesman, scientist, author, and polymath, for the grand finale of their trilogy.
Together, they explore The Magic of Code: How Digital Language Created and Connects Our World, diving deep into how code shapes our understanding of reality — from biology and evolution to artificial intelligence and the simulation hypothesis.
Discover how code is the new DNA, the universal language linking art, philosophy, and technology, and why rekindling curiosity, humility, and wonder is essential in our age of machines.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message
00:18 The Power and Mystery of Code
01:33 Guest Introduction: Samuel Arbesman
02:26 The Magic of Code: Themes and Inspirations
03:53 Rekindling Wonder in Computing
11:01 Biology and Computation: A Deep Dive
14:43 Artificial Life and Evolution in Computing
24:17 Emergent Behavior and Evolutionary Contingency
28:28 Simulation Hypothesis: Reality as a Program
29:30 The Complexity of Digital Simulations
30:35 Weather Prediction and Simplified Models
32:00 The Physicality of Computing
33:17 The Simulation Hypothesis
39:05 The Role of Language in AI
44:09 Humanity and Technology
47:39 The Future of Technology and Society
57:00 Final Thoughts on Humility and Curiosity
In This Episode
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The connection between code, language, and human creativity
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How biology and computation mirror one another
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Artificial life, evolution, and digital ecosystems
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The simulation hypothesis: Are we living in code?
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The importance of humility, restraint, and curiosity in an AI-driven world
Guest: Samuel Arbesman — Author of The Magic of Code, The Half-Life of Facts, and Overcomplicated
🔗 Find Sam: https://arbesman.net
Host: Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, international thought leader on change and reinvention, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show, a globally acclaimed and Thinkers50-recognised podcast inspiring leaders to thrive through change.
A former international rugby player, Aidan now helps organisations and leaders adapt and evolve in an age of exponential transformation.
Get Sam’s Book: https://amzn.to/3Xb8abN
Find the Innovation show: https://thethursdaythought.substack.com
Author Samuel Arbesman joins Aidan McCullen to unpack why today’s technologies are often beyond human understanding. From systemic failures to the burden of knowledge, this episode explores the complexity of modern systems—and how to navigate them with intellectual humility.
What if everything you know is slowly becoming outdated? In this eye-opening episode, Samuel Arbesman, author of The Half-Life of Facts, explores how knowledge decays over time, why scientific truths shift, and how we can stay ahead by understanding the patterns of information change.
Why did Adobe fail to outpace Figma despite cloud dominance? Howard Yu and Sangeet Paul Choudary join Aidan McCullen to explore disruption in the AI age and how your business can leap forward before it’s too late.
Prof. Manu Kapur joins Aidan McCullen for part 3 of our Innovation Show series on “productive failure.” Discover why initial struggle fosters deeper learning, how to design for failure in education and beyond, and how to unlock insights through cognitive dissonance.
Simon Hill, author of Expected Value (xV), reveals a powerful framework to measure the true impact of innovation. Learn how to avoid innovation theatre, kill zombie projects, and align creativity with real business value through xV’s blend of confidence, predicted value, time sensitivity, and strategic fit.
Michael Raynor explains why most strategies fail and how CEOs can fix them, exploring the RAP model, BCE’s diversification, and lessons in strategy.
In Part 2 of my conversation with Manu Kapur, author of Productive Failure, we explore the science behind learning from failure, including the Four A’s framework, variability in learning, and why struggle fuels adaptability in today’s fast-changing world.
In this episode of The Innovation Show, Aidan McCullen welcomes back Manu Kapur, author of Productive Failure, to explore the science of learning through failure.
We uncover the Basic Knowledge Fallacy, debate Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning, and introduce the Four A’s of Learning (Activation, Awareness, Affect, Assembly). Manu also explains why variability, struggle, and pretesting drive deeper learning, adaptability, and long-term success.
Whether you’re an educator, business leader, coach, or lifelong learner, this conversation will transform the way you think about learning and growth.
⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction and Sponsor Message
00:33 – Welcoming the Guest: Manu Kapur
01:01 – Understanding the Basic Knowledge Fallacy
05:07 – Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning
08:08 – The Science Behind Productive Failure
14:01 – The Importance of Variability in Learning
21:14 – Pretesting and the Role of Struggle in Learning
26:43 – Final Thoughts and Cognitive Reflection Test
🔑 Key Takeaways:
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Why the path to learning is as important as the knowledge itself
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The strengths and limits of direct instruction and discovery learning
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How the Four A’s of Productive Failure create lasting understanding
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Why variability and desirable difficulties improve adaptability
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How struggle, pretesting, and impasses unlock deeper insights
📘 Resources:
📺 Watch more episodes of The Innovation Show: The Innovation Show on YouTube
🌐 Learn more about Manu Kapur: www.manukapur.com
📘 Get Manu’s book Productive Failure: https://amzn.to/3KrdV1Q