Algorithms

The algorithm has been termed the idiom of modern science by famous computer scientist Bernard Chazelle. Chazelle is of the view that algorithmic perspective is essential to cope with complex models and complex problems:

No math formula will ever model whole biological organisms, economies, ecologies, or large, live networks. Will the Algorithm come to the rescue? This is the next great hope. The algorithmic lens on science is full of promise—and pitfalls.

The main concern in algorithms research is how to do something correctly and optimally. An ‘algorithmic mindset’ is not only essential in problem solving but also helpful in daily life in organization, logical thought process and time planning. The importance of algorithms is well understood within computer science and operations research. What is good news is that this is now being noticed in the media. The Guardian features an article on the pervasiveness of algorithms and ‘how mathematical recipes dictate how we lead our lives’:

In fact, large bits of modern lives are secretly underpinned by complex algorithms – the mathematical equivalent of cookery recipes, which take a piece of information and turn it into an action or decision. Algorithms are like computer programs or flowcharts – a sequence of steps that examines what is happening and comes to a conclusion. Take traffic lights: the computer controlling them asks a series of related questions. What time of day is it? When did the lights last go red? Has a pedestrian pushed the button at the crossing? The algorithm guides the computer, step by step, to change the lights.

The article goes on to show how algorithms come into play in air-traffic control, online purchasing, supermarket operations and almost every part of our daily life.You may read the whole article here. Interestingly, the same theme was covered in the Economist.