Emergence (or: How Ants Find Your Picnic Basket): Jane Adams at TEDxGallatin

Jane Adams is a graduate of the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Her studies focused on the theory of emergence, the phenomenon by which simple systems governed by simple rules give rise to complex phenomena on a larger scale.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

video produced by Charles Q. Drexler
vfx animation by Michael J. Green
opening music by Gabriel S. Beam

Hyphenate Media

[kevinmathewson]

I thought she raised some especially good points at the end, when she spoke about how we might consider problems in economics and the social sciences from this bottom-up perspective. I think it's true that efforts to model these systems have focused on top-down interactions, while neglecting the emergent phenomena that perhaps play an equal or greater role in shaping the behavior of these systems.

[aishaibrahimabbas]

Beautiful human. Thank you TED talks.

[justawordaway]

One of the best lectures I heard on TED. Was an absolute delight to watch this.

[machetebasterd]

quite possibly my favourite ted talk yet. love talking about ants without actually talking about ants!!

[bobconnolly]

An extremely cogent presentation that should be more widely seen...

[wdheideman]

Don't let the entertainment industry fool you, there are many brilliant women who are also extremely beautiful as well. I have met, worked with and am related to many such women.

[psyche]

Kickass ! I work on this stuff. It was lovely to see such clarity of vision .

[latinaazucar]

I will never look at a single ant the same way again :) this was great, thk u.

[The]

The ant antennas may be hooking in to omnipresent awareness which "tells" them or "shows" them what to do. Like a radio tuning into a song - the ants tune into the big ant model in the "sky".

[jg]

I think they have that idea they're are just weak alone. Even if the only thought going through the ant's mind is I'm trying to survive. Ants walking themselves to death sounds like they are hystical not knowing what to do.

[cirvo]

collective intelligence of humans can not be replicated by artificial intelligence for many reasons the most important being that humans do have feelings and therefore understand situations in a deeper manner, and only through this wisdom can problems get solved in the most beneficial and least destructive manner . Robots will never reach such an intellectual level of perception :) Apart from that YOU ARE AWESOME :)

[MAFiA]

a recent study showed there are 86 Billion neurons. and there are up to 100 Trillion synapses (connections between neurons).

[manuelbranco]

they have a keen sense of smell and direction

[Maxander]

From where do the human feelings come, do you think? Some other dimension? Outer space?

[Tsnore]

How do ants stack up against alligators/crocs, cockroaches, or bacteria in their evolutionary stature?

[SanjS]

She said BLANKETS a few times... :) "How Ants Find Your Picnic Basket"

[valencearden]

Cultural Transmission Chaining Reimagined As Value Added Transmission Chaining : The Emergence Of Rational Delineation Of Socio-Psychological Theory?

[polarbianarchy]

First let us teach the masses of people. Until we connect in cooperation, our collective human mind set, ecen in science, is 'us against them', so in your teachingvthe computer to learn, you teach them the dynamic paradigm to work within is, US agsinst THEM. It is how we think, the wsy wr exclude the other in calculations, etc.
Teach computer will enhance humanity endlessly, but firdt, we need to come together as humanity. In my view of human evolution.

[offgridd]

Well spoken by an intelligent woman and disappointed too.
Was looking for ants and not politics or AI

[aubreyjames]

lol except that publishing firms decide what TOPICS people will see and then google thus resulting with that topic being on the top.