In the inaugural episode of The Flux, John delves into data-driven decisions and impactful foresight with guest Josh Epstein. As the Director of the Agent-Based Modeling Lab at NYU and a member of the Santa Fe Institute, Epstein shares insights into his current roles and recent sabbatical experiences at various top-tier institutions. He discusses the generative explanatory standard in social, behavioral, and health sciences, and explores agent-based modeling as a scientific tool. Highlights include applications in public health, economics, and climate change, and the importance of emotion-driven, cognitively plausible agents. Epstein also explains the distinction between predicting and explaining phenomena, and the potential future impact of agent-based modeling on public policy and decision-making, emphasizing its transformative role and bright future.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to The Flux Podcast
00:23 Meet Josh Epstein: Pioneer in Agent-Based Modeling
02:32 Exploring Agent-Based Models
04:59 Generative Social Science and Agent Zero
07:31 Inverse Generative Social Science
15:58 Behavioral Dynamics in Epidemiology
19:00 Leadership and Decision Making in Modeling
19:33 Future of Agent-Based Modeling
20:35 Global Adoption of Agent-Based Models
22:34 Visualization and Pandemic Modeling
33:46 Why Model?
37:34 Optimism for the Future