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

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...

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...

Complexity that works is built up out of modules that work perfectly, layered one over...

Complexity that works is built up out of modules that work perfectly, layered one over...

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,...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

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 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 great advance of personal computers was not the computing power per se but the...

The great advance of personal computers was not the computing power per se but the...

Basins of attraction, of self organization, show up as well in our complex social environment,...

Basins of attraction, of self organization, show up as well in our complex social environment,...

Managing bottom-up change is its own art.

Managing bottom-up change is its own art.

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...

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

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

Organisms by their design are not made to adapt too far.

Organisms by their design are not made to adapt too far.

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

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

This is actually a very important principle that science is learning about large systems like...

This is actually a very important principle that science is learning about large systems like...

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 interesting thing about change in the environment is that for the most part...

The most interesting thing about change in the environment is that for the most part...

We are infected by our own misunderstanding of how our own minds work.

We are infected by our own misunderstanding of how our own minds work.

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...

The organization and the environment are in concert.

The organization and the environment are in concert.