Simplifying Complexity

Sean Brady from Brady Heywood
  • 5.0 (27)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY
Simplifying Complexity

Simplifying Complexity is a podcast about the underlying principles of complex systems. On the show, we explore the key concepts of complexity science with expert minds from around the world. Each episode focuses on an interview where we break down a specific concept in detail.

  1. 14 APR

    Nicholas Gruen vs Rory Sutherland

    Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, and Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics, have both returned to debate the efficacy and limitations of applying systems thinking to complex problems.   Resources and links: Ogilvy UK website Lateral Economics website   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on X Simplifying Complexity on YouTube Sean Brady on X Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    1h 10m

  2. 31 MAR

    How cultural evolution shapes us - Part 2

    In the last episode, Paul Smaldino, Professor of Cognitive and Information Sciences at the University of California, Merced, and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute discussed how human behaviour is shaped by cultural evolution. In this episode, Paul discusses social learning and identity signalling and how they’re both being affected by rapidly changing technologies.   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    38 min

  3. 17 MAR

    How cultural evolution shapes us - Part 1

    We all know that we are shaped by evolution, but we're also shaped by cultural evolution. In this episode, we’re joined by Paul Smaldino, Professor of Cognitive and Information Sciences at the University of California, Merced, and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, to explain how cultural evolution has shaped human behaviour.   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    34 min

  4. 3 MAR

    What is your country good at?

    Ricardo Hausmann is the Founder and Director of Harvard’s Growth Lab and the Rafik Hariri Professor of the Practice of International Political Economy at Harvard Kennedy School. In this episode, Ricardo explains how the amount and diversity of knowledge within an economy shapes its current capabilities and influences a country’s possible economic growth.   Resources and links: The Atlas of Economic Complexity website   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    51 min

  5. 17 FEB

    Do you have free will? - Part 2

    In the last episode, Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, compared human brains with single-celled organisms to introduce us to the impact of genetics on conscious thought. In this episode, Kevin discusses metacognition, or how humans think about thinking, and its implications on free will versus determinism.   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    53 min

  6. 3 FEB

    Do you have free will? - Part 1

    In this episode, Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin, takes us on a journey from single-celled organisms to human consciousness to explore if we have free will.   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    34 min

  7. 20 JAN

    Law and complexity science

    Today we're joined by Michal Shur-Ofry, Associate Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem law faculty, as she discusses the law and complex systems. In this episode, you'll hear how traditional legal approaches often take an overly simplistic view of the systems they're trying to regulate, how the patent system could be improved by using network science to measure true innovation, and why understanding exponential growth during events like pandemics challenges our conventional legal principles of proportionality.   Resources and links: Michal Shur-Ofry’s website Michal Shur-Ofry on X Michal Shur-Ofry on Linkedin   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website   This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    44 min

  8. 6 JAN

    The scientist who made the digital world possible - Part 2

    In the last episode, Jimmy Soni introduced Dr Claude Shannon, whose work laid the foundation for the technologies we use today. In this episode, Jimmy dives into the significance of Dr Shannon’s 1948 paper “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” to the creation of information theory.    Resources and links: Jimmy Soni’s website Jimmy Soni on X Jimmy Soni on Instagram   Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website   This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

    38 min
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    5
    out of 5
    27 Ratings

    About

    Simplifying Complexity is a podcast about the underlying principles of complex systems. On the show, we explore the key concepts of complexity science with expert minds from around the world. Each episode focuses on an interview where we break down a specific concept in detail.

    Information

    • Creator
      Sean Brady from Brady Heywood
    • Years Active
      2022 - 2025
    • Episodes
      66
    • Rating
      Explicit
    • Copyright
      © 2025 Brady Heywood
    • Show Website
      Simplifying Complexity

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