Herbert A. Simon’s Models of My Life is an autobiographical book that tells the multimedia story of one of the most prolific scholars of the 20th century – Herbert A. Simon. Throughout the book, Simon revisits his impressive career in cognitive psychology, economics, and computer science, providing insights on his approach to decision making, management, and education. The book has earned much praise from the academic community, and its many reflections on Simon's life make it a must-read for those interested in the design of complex systems.
Simon's autobiography is of particular interest to those curious about the great scientist's approach to decision making, management and education. In Models of My Life, Simon tells of his numerous award-winning accomplishments, from the prestigious Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics to the A.M. Turing Award for computer science, and his rich experience in psychology, management and computer science. Not just a recount of accomplishments, the book delves into the underlying ideas behind his decisions and their associated successes.
At the heart of Simon's philosophical approach is the idea of bounded rationality. Too often, humans are hampered in their decisions by the limited ability of their brains to process the endless possibilities of the world. The goal of Simon's philosophy, then, is to find ways to make decisions with the least amount of cognitive effort by insulating ourselves from the intimidating complexity of the environment around us. To do this, Simon stresses the importance of recognizing and understanding bias, honing in on data that best represent the situation and cutting through the swirl of noise.
Another critical aspect of Simon's views comes in the form of his notion of “satisficing” behavior – or making decisions that can lead to an acceptable outcome rather than the ideal results. Doing this, Simon argues, is often preferable to an exhaustive search for perfection because it reduces time, energy, and money spent on finding the optimal solution. This idea espouses the notion that, in today's world, individuals are much better served if they are able to think quickly – or “satisfice” – rather than exhaustively search for a single optimal solution.
In the field of decision making, Simon outlines his views on management through an emphasis on the ability of stakeholders to work together in harmony. As a result of the complex adaptive systems that Simon points to, management models must be created in such a way that enables individuals to interact and make decisions where competing interests can be reconciled.
Finally, Simon explores education and the role it plays in the lives of individuals, particularly those in the fields of his expertise. He posits that today's educational systems should focus on developing the problem-solving skills of individuals, rather than having them merely memorize facts and figures. He also advocates for an expanded educational model, which would require more than just knowledge of the scientific and academic disciplines. Rather, Simon believes that knowledge of interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills are equally important.
Herbert A. Simon's autobiography covers a lifetime of successes, giving readers a unique look into the decisions and strategies that led to his extraordinary achievements. Simon's take on bounded rationality and satisficing behavior is particularly interesting and demands further reflection, as does his views on education and management. Models of My Life is a must-read for those interested in decision making, management and education. It's rich insights, combined with its multimedia structure, make for an informative and enjoyable reading experience.
