Chris Orwa

The book reads like a continuation of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto ‘The Industrial Society and Its Future'. This time focusing on machine learning and its use in coercing behavior change as well as discriminating the poor and disadvantaged. From the examples provided in the book, there are three categories of Weapons of Math Destructions (WMD).

First one is poor statistics. These are incorrectly calculated stats which are used to infer human behavior and performance. In them are lack of understanding of how certain statistics are interpreted or validated. A good example are proxy variables such as geography used to infer purchase power, reoffending propensity et cetera.

The second WMD are correct statistics that are misused. These seem to be the majority of the cases. It is more of an ethical issue rather than machine taking over of lives. When a company utilizes zip code to steer customers to high interest loans, that qualifies us an ethical use of machine leaning output and no necessarily anything wrong with the machine leaning process.

The last WMDs are dataset. From the book, certain attributes within data should never be used for prediction purposes, e.g race, gender, income, and zip code since they likely to correlate with outputs connected with discrimination.

In the end, machine learning is hailed as tool that can be used for social good - with several examples provided.

The book is a warning on ascribing success to a method yet it could be a result coincidence - even if the “success” runs for several years.

Randomness creates opportunities for coincidence (spurious correlation), and thus accidental millionaires. Can repetition vindicate the successful ones? The book argues no, without further information about the sample size from whence the successful person emanates, it is impossible to ascribe success to a method.

A successful person from a large initial sample size has a higher chance of being successful as a result of chance. Smaller initial sample size indicates method. A befitting summary of the book is found in the phrase “it is better to be lucky than competent”.

If uncertainty lived anywhere it would be in this book. Example after example provide a wider perspective on unpredictability of events and the complexities layered upon them. The first book I gave a five star rating, just for the examples - highly informative and uncommon.

I found the book's ending rather abrupt, leaving me wanting more information. Although I enjoyed the initial part, I struggled towards the end due to repetitive points. I had hoped for a detailed history on the origin and development of Calvinism, as well as its influence on capitalism, which was missing. Examples of wealthy Calvinists would have been beneficial.

The book's central theme of ‘economic adventure' and frugality among Calvinists influencing wealth acquisition is intriguing. While Protestant asceticism may have waned, its impact persists.

I would rate the book three stars because while the religious aspect is well-explored, the economic connection feels underdeveloped.

A few good concepts but too much repetition of ideas