Rule-based cooking is very appealing because it produces highly replicable results
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The Score
C. Thi Nguyen
Allen Lane
It was just a year ago that a fascinating article on the perfect way to cook cacio e pepe, a classic pasta dish, according to physicists, captured the attention of many readers. Ivan Di Terlizzi and his team at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Germany meticulously crafted a foolproof method for achieving the dish’s smooth, lump-free emulsion of black pepper, pecorino cheese, and water through repeated experiments.
The allure of finding order in a seemingly chaotic world resonated with audiences. However, C. Thi Nguyen, a philosophy professor and former food writer, warns against the dangers of relying too heavily on rule-based systems in his book, The Score: How to stop playing somebody else’s game. He argues that while such systems offer replicable results through scientific precision, they often overlook the diversity and spontaneity that make experiences enjoyable.
Nguyen extends this critique beyond cooking to various aspects of modern life, including academia, where rigid ranking systems based on metrics can stifle creativity and genuine inquiry. He coins the term “value capture” to describe how well-intentioned metrics can inadvertently dictate our actions and priorities.
To navigate this world of prescribed norms, Nguyen suggests embracing games as a way to explore, experiment, and retain a sense of freedom. Drawing on his own experiences with diverse activities like Dungeons & Dragons, rock climbing, and yoga, he highlights the role of play in counteracting the constraints of institutionalized scoring systems.
While Nguyen’s ideas may not be entirely novel, his playful approach to the topic breathes new life into age-old philosophical debates. By weaving in references to works like Prisoners of Geography and Seeing Like a State, he grounds his arguments in a rich intellectual tradition.
In essence, The Score invites readers to reconsider the value of rules and order in a world that often prioritizes control and predictability. Through engaging storytelling and thought-provoking insights, Nguyen encourages us to embrace the spirit of play as a means of reclaiming agency and autonomy in a rule-bound society.
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