Understanding the Complexity of Modern Technology with Samuel Arbesman | Overcomplicated

Update: 2025-10-27

Description

In this episode, we explore the intricate world of modern technology with Samuel Arbesman, author of Overcomplicated: Technology at the Limits of Comprehension.

Why did the New York Stock Exchange shut down in 2015? What caused Toyota vehicles to accelerate without warning? Samuel reveals how technological "accretion" and interconnected systems create outcomes that even developers, engineers, and executives can't predict.

We discuss:

Why technology often evolves beyond human comprehension
How "spaghetti code" and legacy systems create systemic risk
The biological limits of human understanding
Generalists vs. specialists in innovation
The balance between intellectual humility and progress
How we can better live with—and design—overcomplicated systems

This is a must-listen for leaders, technologists, and innovators navigating today's complex digital ecosystem.

🎙 Hosted by Aidan McCullen, keynote speaker on change and innovation.

💡 Sponsored by Kyndryl

Episode Notes / Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:19 Unsolved Mysteries in Technology

01:18 Guest Introduction: Samuel Arbesman

01:57 Overview of 'Overcomplicated'

03:25 Case Studies: Stock Exchange and Toyota

07:53 The Concept of Accretion

15:48 Complexity vs. Complication

26:49 Interoperability and Trade-offs

29:29 Systemic Failures and Interoperability

29:53 Open Source Software and Maintenance Challenges

32:00 Biological Limits of Human Comprehension

34:51 The Role of Technology in Understanding Complex Systems

40:52 The Burden of Knowledge and the Need for Generalists

50:53 Physics vs. Biological Thinking in Innovation

55:49 Final Thoughts on Humility and Understanding

Find Samuel Arbesman:

https://arbesman.net

[Aidan McCullen is a internationally Thinkers50 recognised thought leader on change and innovation. He is the author of Undisruptable and host of the globally acclaimed Innovation Show. A former international rugby player, Aidan now helps leaders and organisations thrive in an age of constant reinvention.]