Six Impossible Things

In "Six Impossible Things," Kevlin Henney explores fundamental limitations and paradoxes in software development, drawing parallels with concepts from literature and physics. The talk delves into six specific "impossible" challenges, including the nature of infinity in computation, the fallibility of integer and floating-point representations, the non-guaranteed termination of processes (like the halting problem), the inherent undecidability in knowledge systems, the illusion of predictability in the future, and the complexities of distributed systems. Henney uses examples from C, Java, and even the capabilities of AI like ChatGPT to illustrate how seemingly straightforward concepts can lead to unexpected problems and emphasize the importance of understanding these boundaries for building robust solutions.