Kevin Simler

A little context on the medium, to set the stage:

This is my first attempt at what @ncasenmare has been doing (brilliantly) for years: using simulations to explain complex ideas. It's possible to convey the same ideas using text and static images. But simulations are a lot more compelling, IMO. And also more *real.*

What do I mean by "real"? @DavidDeutschOxf has this great line in FoR — that reality "kicks back." Meaning it exists outside the mind and is capable of independent behavior.

Ideas made from *words* don't always kick back (unless you go to great lengths to make them clear and sharp enough, and bring them alive in your mind). The mind is typically too slippery, too pliable, too wishful.

But ideas made from *code* kick back hard. Code is unforgiving, largely because it runs on an unforgiving architecture. But for that very reason, it can surprise and delight you.