Tag Archives: Albert Bartlett

Illustrating exponential growth using movement towards a target, revisited again

Posted on May 23, 2023 by peNdantry

The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. Professor Albert Bartlett (1923–2013) In case you’re not familiar with this ongoing project of mine, the ‘target’ here is the gate at the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in ... wait, what?, Communication, Core thought, Education, GCD: Global climate disruption, People, perception, Phlyarology | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Illustrating exponential growth using movement towards a target, revisited

Posted on January 17, 2023 by peNdantry

The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. Professor Albert Bartlett (1923–2013) Back in May, I used a series of photos taken at regular intervals along a footpath in an attempt to illustrate … Continue reading →

Posted in ... wait, what?, Communication, Core thought, Education, GCD: Global climate disruption, People, perception, Phlyarology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Illustrating exponential growth using movement towards a target

Posted on May 31, 2022 by peNdantry

The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. Professor Albert Bartlett (1923–2013) Ever since I first encountered this quote (in Professor Bartlett’s seminal lecture ‘Arithmetic, population and energy‘) I’ve been trying to think … Continue reading →

Posted in ... wait, what?, Communication, Core thought, Education, GCD: Global climate disruption, People, perception, Phlyarology | Tagged , , , | 43 Comments

Bacteria in Bottles – an example of Exponential Growth

Posted on June 27, 2018 by peNdantry

Professor Albert Bartlett famously said: The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. A short while ago I published a wibblette that tried to explain the exponential function. Dr Bob Rich added a … Continue reading →

Posted in ... wait, what?, Communication, Education, People, Phlyarology, Strategy | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Understanding the exponential function

Posted on April 11, 2018 by peNdantry

Professor Albert Bartlett famously said: The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. One of the reasons that this is a ‘shortcoming’ is simply that the term ‘exponential function‘ is obscure to many. … Continue reading →

Posted in ... wait, what?, Communication, Education, illusion, People, Phlyarology, Strategy | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

How to explain to a dummy that perpetual growth is not good

Posted on February 1, 2010 by peNdantry

If you’re no dummy, take a look at a more scientific explanation…

Posted in ... wait, what?, balance, Communication, Core thought, Economics, Education, Energy, Environment, People, Phlyarology | Tagged , , | 4 Comments