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reviews
Aug 07, 2009
Orton Family Foundation
rated it: 
Some would call me indecisive, fickle, foolish, or a good candidate for Ritalin, given my tendency to engage in many disciplines at once. Even now, with a masters degree in environmental science, I am plotting an eventual return to school for an MFA, or MBA, or MEd, or perhaps just some PhDs. I prefer to think of myself as a generalist, however, in the great tradition of cockroaches, crabgrass, Leonardo DaVinci and Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Indeed, I love finding connections between el
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Jan 31, 2012
Chrissy
rated it: 
In my mind I've split this book into two halves: the half that is severely fascinating, opening doors for me to think about emergence on new scales and inspiring me to contemplate how I could build a model of memory with the principle at its core-- memory as a decentralized, locally interconnected, self-organizing network of instances. I could do that. And I owe the complete absorption of my thoughts with the idea to Johnson and his fascinating first few chapters.
The other half of the book More...
The other half of the book More...
Apr 15, 2009
Michael
rated it:
As of late, “Emergence” seems to be the hottest buzz word tossed around the crit spaces and seminar rooms of my chosen discipline. Thus it was important that I finally read something about just what the hell the term means. As usual, the unflagging Johnson never fails to enthrall. Who can deny the power of such observations as, “in the case of the Middle Ages, we can safely say that the early village residents shat themselves into full-fledged towns.”? He occasionally descends into the hackneye
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Sep 24, 2011
rmn
rated it: 
A well written book that basically attempts to explain how the development of cities and neighborhoods is more than just entropy, rather it’s the result of local knowledge shared at the individual level. The author, Stephen Johnson, shows how information developed through individual interactions (whether ants, people, or computer programs), instead of from a top down autocrat, more often than not leads to best answers and efficiencies. The reason certain areas thrive or fail isn't just random,
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Jan 09, 2008
Henry
rated it:
More stuff emerges from the cloud of gas
Sometimes the cloud turns into an insect
Sometimes the insects turn into brains
Sometimes the brains go to French raves
Sometimes the cloud turns into an insect
Sometimes the insects turn into brains
Sometimes the brains go to French raves
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Jan 14, 2012
Thomas
rated it:
It's been quite a while since I read this, and I should probably queue it up for a re-read. But at the time I read it, it opened my mind to a lot of ideas that I was ready for, but hadn't quite known how to put together. It might even seem quaint and dated now, but this book, along with a few others like GEB, really put me on the track of investigations and readings I've been pursuing ever since. It was one of those books that I read and then closely scanned the bibliography to find out what els
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Jul 08, 2010
meh... a lil too much concrete info for my liking
climax stage == carrying capacity
p154
+/- feedback
structured randomness
neighbor interactions
decentralized ctrl
revolution of applied emergence
evolution of social media
pattern matching
- feedback
ordered randomness
distributed intelligence
204-205 climax of the book - explains why he picked & chose the systems he selected for subtitle
23 More...
climax stage == carrying capacity
p154
+/- feedback
structured randomness
neighbor interactions
decentralized ctrl
revolution of applied emergence
evolution of social media
pattern matching
- feedback
ordered randomness
distributed intelligence
204-205 climax of the book - explains why he picked & chose the systems he selected for subtitle
23 More...
Mar 03, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
from the library
from the library computer:
Table of Contents
Introduction: Here Comes Everybody!
PART ONE
The Myth of the Ant Queen
PART TWO
Street Level
The Pattern Match
Listening to Feedback
Control Artist
PART THREE
The Mind Readers
See What Happens
Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index
Booklist Reviews
Johnson makes sense of the c More...
from the library computer:
Table of Contents
Introduction: Here Comes Everybody!
PART ONE
The Myth of the Ant Queen
PART TWO
Street Level
The Pattern Match
Listening to Feedback
Control Artist
PART THREE
The Mind Readers
See What Happens
Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index
Booklist Reviews
Johnson makes sense of the c More...
Apr 29, 2010
Alex
rated it:
So I have finally finished this book. It took a long time to read, not because it is not engaging, but because I have been busy.
The best way to describe it is via his first example. He describes how ants follow a simple set of rules. The are as thick as pig shit, yet ant colonies manage to function in an incredibly sophisticated and highly organised fashion. This is because the individual ants have evolved to follow a simple set of rules which, when thousands of them are all followin More...
The best way to describe it is via his first example. He describes how ants follow a simple set of rules. The are as thick as pig shit, yet ant colonies manage to function in an incredibly sophisticated and highly organised fashion. This is because the individual ants have evolved to follow a simple set of rules which, when thousands of them are all followin More...
Feb 18, 2009
Grey
rated it: 
Although a few years old, the recent resurgence of "self-organizing groups" or systems rekindled my interest. However, this book was far from fully satisfying. It repeats several interesting analogies until they are no longer interesting, although some of his predictions about where the Web is going were prescient: e.g., he sort of foretold the "emergence" of Wikipedia.
The most useful insight I got out of this was about why we (humans) are so stuck on pattern reco More...
The most useful insight I got out of this was about why we (humans) are so stuck on pattern reco More...
Nov 07, 2008
Aaron
rated it:
I enjoyed this book and then I didn’t. Emergence starts out as a field guide to the idea of emergence and how it crosses all kinds of disciplines. This is the best part. But the bulk of the book, written in Wired Magazine-style gee-whiz-techster prose, is devoted to computer programming and the author going on and on about what he thinks is and isn’t emergence. Tedious.
Also, if any book could benefit from a thorough soaking in Austrian economics, this is it. Hayekian notions of disp More...
Also, if any book could benefit from a thorough soaking in Austrian economics, this is it. Hayekian notions of disp More...
Feb 09, 2009
Giedra
rated it:
Very interesting "social science" book about the theory of emergence and how the intelligence of social insects is similar to how certain features of cities arise, and how increasing understanding of these phenomena may influence software development and the way we live.
It's already almost 10 years old, so it was interesting to see how some of the author's predictions about video games or the internet have or have not come to pass......and to speculate on the reasons for More...
It's already almost 10 years old, so it was interesting to see how some of the author's predictions about video games or the internet have or have not come to pass......and to speculate on the reasons for More...
Jun 30, 2008
P.S.
rated it:
Nesting, like the point preexisting, but "coming about" where the stairs meet their users at Hogwort's. The opening of Akira/noosphere/A fudgey, vague notion of a sea of White Knowledge (appropriated usage of the term by Gaiman in "Neverwhere", as I've never read a Pratchett novel), comprise of increasingly complex (generally speaking, or such in the attribute of 'general'), and more recent residue of human thoughts, maxims, formulations, equations, data, information, knowled
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Oct 26, 2007
Yannis
rated it:
The first few chapters are a really good overview of the concept of emergent intelligence -- wherein a group individually "dumb" organisms/programs/processes/behaviors gradually cohere into a more intelligent/adaptive whole -- and provide some characteristic examples such as slime molds and ant colonies. The rest of the book becomes increasingly meandering and fluffy, and mostly consists of examples of the phenomenon, drawn from biology, cognitive science, computer programming and net
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Mar 30, 2010
I didn't actually finish this book. I got about halfway through before deciding to give up. The book opens really well. I really enjoyed the chapters about ants, slime mould and the history of computer modelling of life. I started to have issues with the chapter about cities. He seems to completely overlook the fact that cities are and always have been subject to huge amounts of central planning. Where I had real issues with this book were with the chapters about the internet and news. This book
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May 19, 2009
Nancy
rated it:
Very interesting exploration of bottom-up processes, how a complex system can emerge from very simple, rule-driven parts. I'd be interested to see the latest edition of the book and how the author updated it - I kept getting distracted by the examples of technology that have already changed so much since 2001. I'm not sure an author should ever make specific predictions - e.g., in 2005 thus and such will have happened, since if the prediction is wrong, it is glaringly wrong.
Oct 22, 2009
James
rated it:
Johnson's book would have rated higher with me had I read it in 2001 instead of 2008 - it just hasn't aged well; my 2-star ranking splits the difference between the 3 (or even 4) I would likely have given it when brand new and the 1 it (might) deserve today.
The first two chapters were interesting for the connections drawn between different kinds of self-organizing systems, but after that he just kept repeating himself. Or, even more precisely: after that, the things he had to say tha More...
The first two chapters were interesting for the connections drawn between different kinds of self-organizing systems, but after that he just kept repeating himself. Or, even more precisely: after that, the things he had to say tha More...
Jun 13, 2008
Kelly
rated it:
My experience was similar to other reviews here. I loved teh first few chapters and I was hoping for big things and great insights at the end, but it is more of a discussion of current technologies \ products in the headlines at the time of writing.
The first chapter I thought was incredible well written and I learned a lot of very interesting things. I was really impressed with his writing as we very seamlessly move between ant research, urban planning, and right into alan turing a More...
The first chapter I thought was incredible well written and I learned a lot of very interesting things. I was really impressed with his writing as we very seamlessly move between ant research, urban planning, and right into alan turing a More...
Aug 27, 2011
Words
rated it:
Less freewheeling than Kevin Kelly's "Out of Control," just as accessible as Jane Jacob's "Death and Life of Great American Cities," less cerebral than "I am a Strange Loop," Steven Johnson covers emergent behavior across not only people, but extrapolating into the web and robotics space. That's singularity territory, and he walks you through the whole strand.
Feb 21, 2010
John
rated it:
I didn't think I would find this book interesting, but it was fascinating to explore the complexities and interconnections within a great variety of systems ranging from ant communities to cities. Author writes clearly and explains with wonderful examples and analogies. It has definitely been a thought provoking and worthwhile experience to read this book.
Jan 08, 2009
Mark
rated it:
I can't remember if I finished this. The first 10 pages are great, but then the next 10 just say it again, and the next 10... Seems like an introduction to a math text that goes on so long there wasn't any room in the book left over for the math text. Let's see some DE's already! I don't care if it goes over my head, explain!
Sep 06, 2008
Richard
rated it:
The theory itself is wonderful, a way of presenting highly sophisticated structure to develop from the bottom up, giving a mechanism for evolution, for urban zoning, for brain development. Johnson also talks about how this theory came into use for computer software, creating highly complex games like SimCity and the device for those scaringly appropriate Amazon recommendations. Throughout most of the book, I was intrigued at the structure of emergence and how it can be appleid and used, but th
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Aug 22, 2008
John
rated it:
This book is about the fairly modern science (art?) of emergent systems. Emergent systems are systems that display complex, usually adaptive, behavior based on individual agents operating under simple rules. Typically, emergent behavior is not designed, it is discovered. He talks about some of the current applications of emergent systems in the world, and draws comparisons to natural systems and organisms to fit it all together. Having played around a bit with agent-based modeling in the past an
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Dec 18, 2008
Tony
rated it:
"As below, so above"? Not necessarily! Going deeper in to the territory Douglas Hofstadter covered in "Godel, Escher, Bach," Steven Johnson explores emergence theory, a fascinating concept wherein an entire group of individual organisms can create a mass entity that acts as if with its own intelligence. Great stuff!
Feb 06, 2011
Matt
rated it:
Steven Johnson explores the phenomenon of emergence in Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software. Emergence theory is the study of how disparate local knowledge and local decisions can lead to higher level (or global) intelligence and global structure. We are programmed to think that without an overseer or man-in-charge, groups cannot self-organize. Drawing on examples as diverse as ant colonies to the rise and structure of the city of Manchester, UK, Johnson shows h
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Aug 05, 2010
Jim
rated it:
I gave this book to my lab members shortly after it came out. A fascinating synthesis of ideas and examples that lead to a very powerful conclusion: highly complex phenomena can emerge from simple rules executed by multiple elements. A great read, and rich with implications for our lives and our world.
Feb 07, 2011
Lance
rated it:
One of my favorites that I have read in recent years... Steven Johnson writes eloquently and from such a interesting perspective that includes nearly everything under the sun. His books, in general, are a compelling read, but this one really sticks out for me.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Mar 30, 2009
Al
rated it:
Excellent introduction to the science of networks. Dumbed down for mere mortals like me, but savvy enough to keep you interested and longing for more.
Basically, as I saw someone on Amazon state, if I see Steven Johnson as the author, I buy the book.
Basically, as I saw someone on Amazon state, if I see Steven Johnson as the author, I buy the book.
Apr 30, 2008
Matthew
rated it:
An introduction to the concept of emergence, which is becoming a trendy idea these days. Johnson gives an overview of some of the different experiments and fields which have lead to the creation of this idea, such as how mold spores and ant colonies work, as well as examples from city planning and computer science. Emergence relates to how bottom-up systems with simple rules creates high degrees of complexity through their interactions. I found the book a good source of some of the early case
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Jan 25, 2012
Kevin
rated it:
This book explores the power of self organizing systems, which means the way global order comes out of local decisions. How do ant colonies organize themselves to find food or appropriate tasks without a leader dolling out responsibilities? How is it that poor people are, for the most part, hidden from the masses of visiting tourist in cities, even cities with no planning departments? Why are lively, walkable streets potentially better than suburban sprawl and not just a matter of preference a
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