A* for life

(Random 2am thoughts which I attempted to write out coherently)

Let’s talk about pathfinding.

Suppose you start at point A and want to reach point B. There are a bunch of other points and you can move from point to point through edges, and these edges have non-negative weights.

One way to do it is as follows: start at point A, and at each step, choose the closest unexplored point and explore it, searching in all directions until you find point B.

However, this is inefficient. Before you find point B, you need to go through all other points closer to A than B is. This brings you to points that you won’t even consider if you had glanced at the map, points that make no sense in the context of the destination.

Here’s an improvement: instead of choosing the next point to explore based on distance from A alone, we pick a point that also brings us closer to our goal. Note the “also” – both are important.

We may not know exactly which point that is, but we can approximate it, for example by straight-line distance. This is called a heuristic.

Different problems use different heuristics. It has to be chosen wisely. You have to choose it before you even start traversing, and you stick to it for the entire process. There will still be dead ends, detours and misleading paths. The heuristic, after all, has to underestimate the distance.

But having a heuristic is far superior to blindly searching.

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Let’s talk about life.

Suppose you start now and want to achieve some goal, maybe self-actualisation. There are other phases of life you can end up in and you can move between them by choosing to take action, and some choices are harder to make than others.

One way to do it is as follows: start where you are, and at each step, make the easiest choice – the one with the most instant gratification, wandering aimlessly until you arrive.

However, this is inefficient. Before you succeed, you need to go through all other pathways that were easier to reach. You have to make choices you won’t even consider if only you took a step back and reflected, becoming versions of you that are now, to put it mildly, embarrassingly idiotic.

Here’s an improvement: instead of choosing what gives you the most short-term satisfaction, do something that also brings you closer to your goal. Note the “also” – both are important.

We may not know exactly what is right, but we can make a good guess, for example by following our moral compass. This is called a sense of purpose.

Different people have different motivations in life. Choose yours wisely. You have to choose it before you even start traversing, and you stick to it for the entire process. There will still be doubts, challenges and hardship. Life, after all, is not a straight line.

But having a sense of purpose is far superior to living life aimlessly. It’s the difference between making a living and making a life.