Discovery over Invention

Recently the youtube algorithm blessed me with this gem Neil Degrasse Tyson - Is Math A Discovery Or An Invention?

And it got me thinking ... is there really such a thing as inventing something new or do we just happen to fall on a discovery?

The beauty of a simple solution is undeniable, in programming discovering a more efficient, more concise way to solve a problem brings me the deepest joy, infact I created a dedicated my first React project to for one of my silliest passions -- deleting code, there is a distinct beauty in achieving more (or the same) with less. On this topic I'd like to recommend this talk I Love Deleting Code, and No One Can Stop Me by Steven Hazel.

But back to my point, being that I believe most endeavours are discoveries.

Let's start with the definitions:

Invent

Definition: To produce or design something that has not existed before

Discover

Definition: To be the first person to become aware that a particular place or thing exists

Now the obvious (espcially in programming) would be to assume that since the code for something novel hasn't existed, programming is inventing but I personally feel like improvments / optimizations seem beautytiful (read natural) and in my opinion natural things are discovered. Whereas fixing a bug with a monkey patch or a workaround tailord to only your solution feels tedious and unnatural making it a invention.

By this I don't mean only write "boilerplate" code, i'm trying to articulate that one knows when something is right for instance for a freelance project i wrote an algorithm only tailord at one specific task but everything about it's logic seemed intuitive no weird edge case no extracurriculars, by the end everyone on the project got it I had invent nothing but discovered something logical.

Same goes for great products or companies if the solution seems is so intuitive that everyone get's why it's necessary you're on track to discovery.

Discovery ain't easy -- its necessary to get into a position from which you are able discover

Let's take a product feature as an example, first you need luck / a suspicion that theres something missing in your current solution, second you need a notion of what would improve it, third you need a MVP invention which puts you into position to forth gather data from users what they like about it -- refining this MVP based on feedback is the final discovery step towards a natural solution.

Beauty lies in nature -- hence if solution / product feels natural you discovered something great, no monkey patch, something truly meaningful

And my perception is that this natural discovered beauty lies in every aspect of life, relationships, science, engineering everywhere theres a decision to be made I ask myself what feels the most natural, what sparks that "hell yes" attitude, what makes life feel like going with the flow...