41 episodes

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.

Simplifying Complexity Sean Brady from Brady Heywood

    • Science
    • 5.0 • 26 Ratings

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.

    Making sense of chaos with Doyne Farmer

    Making sense of chaos with Doyne Farmer

    J. Doyne Farmer is Director of the Complexity Economics programme at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, Baillie Gifford Professor in the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute.In this episode, Doyne discusses his journey from chaos theory to complexity economics. He shares his experience developing agent-based models for the economy and talks about the importance of multidisciplinary work and applying complexity science principles to economics and climate change.

     

    Resources:


    Purchase ‘Making Sense of Chaos: A Better Economics for a Better World’ here

     

    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.

    • 39 min
    Decoding the Panama Papers - Part 2

    Decoding the Panama Papers - Part 2

    Continuing from our last episode, we’re joined again by Brooke Harrington, Professor of Sociology at Dartmouth College and Herbert Chang, Assistant Professor of Quantitative Social Science at Dartmouth College.

    In this episode, Brooke and Herbert explore their research findings on the offshore financial system and discuss why policy interventions to date targeting wealth management have largely failed. They then explore how the findings of their research offer a way forward. 

     

    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
    Decoding the Panama Papers - Part 1

    Decoding the Panama Papers - Part 1

    In today’s episode, we’re joined by Brooke Harrington, Professor of Sociology at Dartmouth College and Herbert Chang, Assistant Professor of Quantitative Social Science at Dartmouth College, to discuss the world of offshore finance.

    You’ll hear about how using offshore finance is akin to eating at a restaurant and skipping out on the bill, and how Brooke trained to be a wealth manager to better understand how the industry works. Brooke and Herbert then discuss how they used the data from the Panama, Paradise and Pandora Papers to undertake quantitative research into the networks that make offshore finance possible.

     

    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.

    • 46 min
    How cities drive economic progress

    How cities drive economic progress

    What role do cities play in driving economic progress?

    In today’s episode, we’re joined by Luis Bettencourt, Professor at the University of Chicago and External Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute, who explains how cities allow us to do something magical - they allow us to specialise.

     

    Resources:


    Luis Bettencourt on Simplifying Complexity - Cities as social reactors
    Geoffrey West on Simplifying Complexity - Scaling 3: Why companies die, but cities don't 

     

    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.

    • 29 min
    Big Ideas: The Origin of Life

    Big Ideas: The Origin of Life

    How does a group of molecules transition into something that is life? And what do even mean when we say 'life'?

    To explore the origin of life, we’re joined again by Sara Walker, Deputy Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Associate Professor in Earth and Space Exploration and Complex Adaptive Systems at Arizona State University, and External Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute.

     

    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.

    • 37 min
    In conversation with Rory Sutherland - Part 2

    In conversation with Rory Sutherland - Part 2

    In today’s episode, we continue our conversation with Rory Sutherland, UK Vice Chairman of Ogilvy, where he discusses how our decision making, especially as consumers, while often appearing irrational, is actually the result of us deploying heuristics that have served us well in situations of low trust or when we don't have all the information.

     

    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.

    • 35 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

Dr P Mason ,

Informative & well produced!

Loving this series! I’m enjoying the learning curve! Great interviews and excellent sound production!

AreAnyNamesFree? ,

Worth the wait

Fascinating subject matter and well delivered. I’ve been anxiously waiting for the next episode instalment of the Brady Heywood podcast and this looks like a great new direction to explore.

Looking forward to more.

Why do u want my nickname? ,

Fantastic new podcast about complexity

A great introduction about complexity, really keen to see where this series goes

Top Podcasts In Science

Dr Karl Podcast
ABC listen
All In The Mind
ABC listen
The Infinite Monkey Cage
BBC Radio 4
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward
Making Sense with Sam Harris
Sam Harris
Radiolab
WNYC Studios

You Might Also Like

COMPLEXITY: Physics of Life
Santa Fe Institute
The Joy of Why
Steven Strogatz, Janna Levin and Quanta Magazine
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Sean Carroll | Wondery
Quanta Science Podcast
Quanta Magazine
BBC Inside Science
BBC Radio 4
New Scientist Podcasts
New Scientist