The Magic of Code with Sam Arbesman | The Innovation Show (Thinkers50 Award-Winning Podcast)
Release Date: 11/05/2025
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info_outlineIn this thought-provoking episode, Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show — welcomes Samuel Arbesman, scientist, author, and polymath, for the grand finale of their trilogy.
Together, they explore The Magic of Code: How Digital Language Created and Connects Our World, diving deep into how code shapes our understanding of reality — from biology and evolution to artificial intelligence and the simulation hypothesis.
Discover how code is the new DNA, the universal language linking art, philosophy, and technology, and why rekindling curiosity, humility, and wonder is essential in our age of machines.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message
00:18 The Power and Mystery of Code
01:33 Guest Introduction: Samuel Arbesman
02:26 The Magic of Code: Themes and Inspirations
03:53 Rekindling Wonder in Computing
11:01 Biology and Computation: A Deep Dive
14:43 Artificial Life and Evolution in Computing
24:17 Emergent Behavior and Evolutionary Contingency
28:28 Simulation Hypothesis: Reality as a Program
29:30 The Complexity of Digital Simulations
30:35 Weather Prediction and Simplified Models
32:00 The Physicality of Computing
33:17 The Simulation Hypothesis
39:05 The Role of Language in AI
44:09 Humanity and Technology
47:39 The Future of Technology and Society
57:00 Final Thoughts on Humility and Curiosity
In This Episode
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The connection between code, language, and human creativity
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How biology and computation mirror one another
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Artificial life, evolution, and digital ecosystems
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The simulation hypothesis: Are we living in code?
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The importance of humility, restraint, and curiosity in an AI-driven world
Guest: Samuel Arbesman — Author of The Magic of Code, The Half-Life of Facts, and Overcomplicated
🔗 Find Sam: https://arbesman.net
Host: Aidan McCullen — Thinkers50 Innovation Award Winner, international thought leader on change and reinvention, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show, a globally acclaimed and Thinkers50-recognised podcast inspiring leaders to thrive through change.
A former international rugby player, Aidan now helps organisations and leaders adapt and evolve in an age of exponential transformation.
Get Sam’s Book: https://amzn.to/3Xb8abN
Find the Innovation show: https://thethursdaythought.substack.com