Algorithms of Quality

The science of quality begins with the insight that qualities are primary — the fundamental building blocks of both objects and our perception of them.

For generations, science has approached nature by looking first at its objects — from the visible forms that surround us to the microscopic and astronomical phenomena revealed by instruments. From there, it's natural to study how those objects move, and to seek the forces that drive those movements — gravity, atomic bonds, electromagnetic fields, and even the psychological forces that shape the behavior of living things. Over time, it becomes clear that relationships — or systems — bind objects, movements, and forces together in patterns that give rise to the world we experience.

In summary, science has traditionally approached the study of the world in four ways:
a) as a vast collection of objects;
b) by examining the movements of those objects;
c) by seeking the forces behind the movements; and
d) by uncovering the relationships and systems that connect them.

Yet beneath all of these lies something more fundamental: qualities.

We distinguish one object from another by its qualities. We identify movements, forces, or relationships by the qualities they express. Qualities are fundamental because they allow us to perceive and draw distinctions — the difference between this and that — which is the basis of information itself.

Algorithms of Quality currently offers articles that explore the implications of placing qualities at the center of our metaphysics, science, linguistics, psychology, and software design. The goal is to develop and share software that helps us think more clearly and design beautiful, useful products and services.