Essays

2026

Vibe Coding and Levels of Abstraction

11 minute read

Published:

One of the most underappreciated ideas in all of science is the idea of abstraction. Not in the abstract (excuse the pun), but as a practical tool for understanding, building, and communicating. The history of computer science is arguably the history of abstraction. And right now, with the rise of AI coding tools, that history is more relevant than ever.

2025

2024

Thinking in Extremes

7 minute read

Published:

This essay discusses the cognitive tool of thinking in spectra and extremes.

The Limits of Thinking

12 minute read

Published:

This essay discusses the mental concept of thinking in limits. Its utility is demonstrated in a situation where humans have poor intuition.

2022

Cognitive Unit Tests

13 minute read

Published:

This essay introduces the concept of “cognitive unit tests”.

2021

2020

2016

2011

Essays in Progress

less than 1 minute read

Published:

This post describes my approach to essay writing.