Publication

2005-08-16 - Anchor

Language

English

Word Count

84,000 words, Guess

Page Count

336 pages

Identifiers

and 2 more
  • Goodreads68143
  • LibraryThing17697

Classifications

  • LCCJC328.2 .S87 2005

Description

In this fascinating book, New Yorker business columnist James Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea: Large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant — better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions, even predicting the future. Surowiecki ranges across fields as diverse as popular culture, psychology, ant biology, behavioral economics, artificial intelligence, military history, and politics to show how this simple idea offers important lessons for how we live our lives, select our leaders, run our companies, and think about our world. The story is told of the first observations of this effect, through to anecdotes of the effect in modern economics and psychology. The book not heavy on statistics, and has prompted much research since its publication. The title is an allusion to the famous phrase, the "madness of crowds".

Description

In this book, New Yorker columnist Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea that has profound implications: large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant--better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions, even predicting the future. With seemingly boundless erudition and in clear, entertaining prose, Surowiecki ranges across fields as diverse as popular culture, psychology, ant biology, economic behaviorism, artificial intelligence, military history and political theory to show just how this principle offers important lessons for how e live our lives, select our leaders, run our companies, and think about our world. -- From publisher description.

First Sentence

One day in the fall of 1906, the British scientist Francis Galton left his home in the town of Plymouth and headed for a country fair.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • The Wisdom of CrowdsAnchor2005-08-16
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