clever brute force reminds me of [[clever-lifting]]
using https://claude.ai/chat/234bc4f3-ff2a-48a8-95d2-5b8152ee193d,
Let me create a final table comparing three clear examples of the Cleverly Brute Force (CBF) pattern, showing how an initial clever insight becomes systematized in different domains:
| Phase | Stan Statistics | Wright Brothers' Propeller | Penicillin Production |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| Clever Discovery | HMC method for sampling complex distributions | Propeller blade is a rotating wing | Mold kills bacteria around it |
| Core Problem | Make Bayesian inference accessible to non-experts | Create efficient thrust with minimal power | Mass-produce an antibacterial substance |
| Process Development | NUTS algorithm automates parameter tuning | Wind tunnel testing of blade shapes | Optimization of fermentation and extraction |
| Standardization | Stan software packages with error checks | Systematic propeller design method | Industrial production protocols |
| Brute Force Result | Complex statistics becomes "push-button" tool | 66% efficient propellers become standard | Reliable antibiotic manufacturing |
This comparison reveals a consistent pattern across very different fields. In each case:
1. The breakthrough starts with an unexpected insight that challenges conventional thinking:
- Statistics: Using physics principles (Hamiltonian dynamics) for statistical sampling
- Aviation: Seeing a propeller as a wing rather than a marine screw
- Medicine: Recognizing that a common mold could be a source of medicine
2. The key to success isn't just having the insight, but developing systematic processes that make it reliably repeatable:
- Statistics: Automating the complex mathematics
- Aviation: Creating standardized design and testing methods
- Medicine: Developing industrial-scale production techniques
3. The final result transforms a clever idea into something that can be consistently applied without requiring deep expertise in the original insight:
- Statistics: Anyone can now use advanced Bayesian methods
- Aviation: Engineers can design efficient propellers using standard principles
- Medicine: Pharmaceutical companies can produce antibiotics reliably
Would you like me to elaborate on any of these parallels or explore how this pattern might apply to other innovations?