Escape from Model Land (2022)

Written on October 1st , 2023 by James

Author: Erica Thompson

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This book is about how mathematical models can lead us to make incorrect inferences and judgements, and that we should be careful in how we use them. “Model Land” is the castle in the sky that we create when we attempt to simulate/model/simplify the real world with mathematical or programatic simulacra. We enter an uncanny valley where we must caveat any insights as only applying in Model Land, not the real world. Escaping from Model Land requires finding a way out with whatever survives the journey.

This book is relevant and needed, but I found that it was contradictory on the whole and too much of a woke take.

Thompson draws out relevant points about why all models are wrong, but doesn’t spend enough time talking about why they are useful. I liked these points though:

• Models can be engines not just cameras (engines that actually influence the real world, not just try to capture/explain it)
• Our escape from Model Land must be to use the qualitative exit: expert judgement