What Algorithms Want

In What Algorithms Want, Ed Finn explores how algorithms—rooted in mathematical logic, cybernetics, and magical thinking—shape our culture and everyday lives. He examines the gap between the theoretical foundations of computation and its unpredictable, real-world applications, from intelligent assistants to algorithmic aesthetics in entertainment and the economics of Bitcoin. Finn advocates for a new approach—"algorithmic reading"—to better understand the complex relationship between abstract algorithms and their messy, practical impact on society.