Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software

In the groundbreaking tradition of Complexity and The Society of Mind, visionary guru Johnson makes sense of the cutting-edge theory of emergence and demonstrates its relevance in today's--and tomorrow's--world. Illustrations. nIn the tradition of Being Digital and The Tipping Point, Steven Johnson, acclaimed as a cultural critic with a poet's heart (The Village Voice), takes readers on an eye-opening journey through emergence theory and its applications. nA NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK nA VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT TOP 25 FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR nAN ESQUIRE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR nExplaining why the whole is sometimes smarter than the sum of its parts, Johnson presents surprising examples of feedback, self-organization, and adaptive learning. How does a lively neighborhood evolve out of a disconnected group of shopkeepers, bartenders, and real estate developers? How does a media event take on a life of its own? How will new software programs create an intelligent World Wide Web? n nIn the coming years, the power of self-organization -- coupled with the connective technology of the Internet -- will usher in a revolution every bit as significant as the introduction of electricity. Provocative and engaging, Emergence puts you on the front lines of this exciting upheaval in science and thought.n