A visual map of Werbos’s main claim: reverse-mode AD, backpropagation, hand-coded adjoints, and adjoint circuits are mostly the same computational trick wearing different disciplinary uniforms. This page emphasizes mechanism, historical fragmentation, and why derivative infrastructure changed what people could practically build.
Hover the gauges. The strongest support sits with gradient mechanics and neural-net practice; the weakest support sits with broader claims about intelligent control and brain-like local circuits.
Compact source list for the visual themes on this page.