I think that we agree that it can be useful to model many processes as optimization.
My point is that it’s dangerous to lose the distinction between “currently useful abstraction” and “it actually is optimization”—much like locally-optimal vs. globally-optimal, it’s a subtle confusion but can land you in deep confusion and on an unsound basis for intervention. Systems people seem particuarly prone to this kind of error, maybe because of the tendency to focus on dynamics rather than details.
That’s a perfectly reasonable concern. Details keep you tethered to reality. If a model disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong.
Personally, I see much promise in this perspective. I believe we’ll see many interesting medical interventions in the coming decades inspired by this view in general.
I think that we agree that it can be useful to model many processes as optimization.
My point is that it’s dangerous to lose the distinction between “currently useful abstraction” and “it actually is optimization”—much like locally-optimal vs. globally-optimal, it’s a subtle confusion but can land you in deep confusion and on an unsound basis for intervention. Systems people seem particuarly prone to this kind of error, maybe because of the tendency to focus on dynamics rather than details.
That’s a perfectly reasonable concern. Details keep you tethered to reality. If a model disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong.
Personally, I see much promise in this perspective. I believe we’ll see many interesting medical interventions in the coming decades inspired by this view in general.