And they discovered something very interesting: when it comes to walking, most of the ant's thinking and decision-making is not in its brain at all. It's distributed. It's in its legs.

Quote by Kevin Kelly

Topics: Kevin Kelly Quotes

But when you are embodied in a location, in a physical plant, in a set...

But when you are embodied in a location, in a physical plant, in a set...

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

An organization's reason for being, like that of any organism, is to help the parts...

An organization's reason for being, like that of any organism, is to help the parts...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

One of the functions of an organization, of any organism, is to anticipate the future,...

One of the functions of an organization, of any organism, is to anticipate the future,...

The nature of an innovation is that it will arise at a fringe where it...

The nature of an innovation is that it will arise at a fringe where it...

The organization and the environment are in concert.

The organization and the environment are in concert.

An organization is a set of relationships that are persistent over time.

An organization is a set of relationships that are persistent over time.

But in a turbulent environment the change is so widespread that it just routes around...

But in a turbulent environment the change is so widespread that it just routes around...

The most certain thing you can say about the environment tomorrow is that it probably...

The most certain thing you can say about the environment tomorrow is that it probably...

The way that organizations and organisms anticipate the future is by taking signals from the...

The way that organizations and organisms anticipate the future is by taking signals from the...

Managers tend to treat organizations as if they are infinitely plastic. They hire and fire,...

Managers tend to treat organizations as if they are infinitely plastic. They hire and fire,...

A brain is a society of very small, simple modules that cannot be said to...

A brain is a society of very small, simple modules that cannot be said to...

We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and...

We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and...

In a broad systems sense, an organism's environment is indistinguishable from the organism itself.

In a broad systems sense, an organism's environment is indistinguishable from the organism itself.

Much of outcomes research is a systematic attempt to exploit what is known and make...

Much of outcomes research is a systematic attempt to exploit what is known and make...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

When a system is in turbulence, the turbulence is not just out there in the...

When a system is in turbulence, the turbulence is not just out there in the...

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.