# Dispersion is the process of a heuretic impacting the world [[Dispersion is exogenous to the tech tree]] the process of dispersion can Dispersion is where the fact that [[A heuretic’s impact is not endogenous to the technology but depends on the environment]] Impact has to do both with the spread of a heuretic and how much it effects people. A new social media app can affect many people’s lives a little and a drug that cures a rare disease can affect a few people’s lives a ton. Speculatively, [[Could you model dispersion as a second order linear differential equation like a LRC circuit or a spring-mass-damper system?]] Some people might refer to dispersion as dissemination or diffusion but I believe [[Dispersion is a more appropriate word than dissemination or diffusion for heuretics]]. Notionally you would expect dispersion to always require implementation. [[Implementation is the actualization of the heuretic in the real world]]. But in reality, the impact of a heuretic can precede full implementation. General AI seems to be one such thing - it is shaping our actions and perception of the world before it’s actually implemented. Tesla is probably another example - it makes you feel like electric cars are inevitable even though they are a tiny fraction of the market. In the context of [[§Type I and Type II Progress]] , Type II progress is the dispersion in a new domain of a heuretic that has already dispersed through a different domain. This secondary dispersion may require heuretic evolution so it’s not trivial at all. [[Frontier technologies need to start in niche markets where they are especially valuable]]. ### Related * This needs to be incorporated into the [[Design for roadmapping system]] * [[One person or class of people do not deserve credit for an innovation]] * [[Constraints limit the impact and dispersion speed of a heuretic]] * [[Dispersion does not happen instantly and often requires a lot of work]] <!-- #evergreen --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Dispersion+is+the+process+of+a+heuretic+impacting+the+world) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Dispersion+is+the+process+of+a+heuretic+impacting+the+world)