The Perfect Swarm: The Science of Complexity in Everyday Life

by Len Fisher

Overview

One of the greatest discoveries of recent times is that the complex patterns we find in life are often produced when all of the individuals in a group follow the same simple rule. This process of “self-organization” reveals itself in the inanimate worlds of crystals and seashells, but as Len Fisher shows, it is also evident in living organisms, from fish to ants to human beings. The coordinated movements of fish in shoals, for example, arise from the simple rule: “Follow the fish in front.” Traffic flow arises from simple rules: “Keep your distance” and “Keep to the right.”

Now, in his new book, Fisher shows how we can manage our complex social lives in an ever more chaotic world. His investigation encompasses topics ranging from “swarm intelligence” to the science of parties and the best ways to start a fad. Finally, Fisher sheds light on the beauty and utility of complexity theory. An entertaining journey into the science of everyday life, The Perfect Swarm will delight anyone who wants to understand the complex situations in which we so often find ourselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465020850
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	11/17/2009
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Len Fisher, PhD, is author of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Weighing the Soul, and How to Dunk a Doughnut, which was named Best Popular Science Book by the American Institute of Physics. He has been featured in Newsweek, the Washington Post, and Scientific American. He lives in Wiltshire, England, and Blackheath, Australia.

Table of Contents

Patterns of the Perfect Swarm: Visions of Complexity in Nature ix

Acknowledgments xix

Introduction 1

1 The Emergence of Swarm Intelligence 9

2 The Locusts and the Bees 23

3 Ant Logic 37

4 A Force in a Crowd 49

5 Group Intelligence: The Majority or the Average? 67

6 Consensus: A Foolish Consistency? 83

7 Crazes, Contagion, and Communication: The Science of Networks 105

8 Decision Rules OK? 133

9 Searching for Patterns: Imagination and Reality 155

10 Simple Rules for Complex Situations 167

Notes 173

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

Boston Globe
“Fisher makes intriguing connections” and “demonstrates that statistics don’t always lie, and sometimes even tell important truths.”

Psychology Today
“Fisher jumps with proficiency from locusts to pedestrians to computer algorithms to stock markets.” 

BBC Focus Magazine
“This would be my nominee for book of the year, if it wasn’t still only January. Who knows what may turn up in the next 12 months? Whatever it is, though, will find Fisher a hard act to follow.”

Scott M. Cooper, MIT research affiliate; co-author of Coolhunting 
“It’s a rare pleasure to read a book that builds on great ideas that have come before, pushes concepts forward, and challenges the intellect—while at the same time being eminently accessible. This is just such a book.”

David Sumpter, professor of mathematics, Uppsala University
“Len Fisher reveals how the study of animal swarms allows us to better understand our own society. By blending personal stories with a clear presentation of new theoretical ideas he shows why rumors, ideas and information spread so rapidly through groups.”

Gregory Sword, associate professor of biology, University of Sydney
“That complexity can be simple to explain might seem counterintuitive, but in The Perfect Swarm: The Science of Complexity in Everyday Life, Len Fisher demonstrates just that. This book provides a thoughtful, entertaining, and—most important—easy to understand treatment of how patterns emerge and problems can be solved when many individuals interact in very simple ways. Clear and fluent, The Perfect Swarm is an enjoyable source of insight for those who would like to better understand how many seemingly complex things in the world really aren’t so complex after all.”

Peter A. Gloor, author of Swarm Creativity and Coolhunting
“The Perfect Swarm does a marvelous job of explaining the network effects that determine our daily life. I highly recommend it to anybody seeking practical solutions to the puzzling complexities of everyday life, and especially to anyone interested in the mathematical and physical underpinnings of swarm intelligence, swarm business, and swarm creativity.”

Ian Stewart, Author of

From the Publisher