In 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.
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
A VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT TOP 25 FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
AN ESQUIRE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Explaining 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?
In 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.