Collective Science
Almost every generation imagines itself on a precipice, where individual or societal problems seem too complex to solve, and the future is bleak. Yet, society survives each time, often reinventing itself. With global climate change, dying oceans, democide, killer epidemics, and other modern crises, humanity may truly now be at the precipice where our actions in the next decade will determine the future of humankind and our only planet.
This website discusses how proactive collective intelligence is the game-changing resource that offers hope, functioning beyond the historical model of the “wizard behind the curtain.” Based on research over the last two decades, the advantages and limitations of collective intelligence can now be understood – as a science. When compared to the traditional spectrum of problem-solving methodologies and leadership, collective intelligence using diverse groups can extend the complexity of problems that can be solved – defining when and how diverse collectives can outperform experts, while being more robust.
If you landed on this page, you likely believe in collective intelligence (CI) and are likely a champion. If you want to learn more about the science of collective systems and intelligence, read on.
A bit of historical perspective first. How groups or collectives make decisions is as old as social processes in humanity. But the science of collective processes isn’t unique to humans. All social organisms – including slime molds, ants, bees, social spiders (you don’t want to know), and primates – need to act collectively, either to collective challenges or to achieve greater efficiency.
While humans have developed many mechanisms for collective decision-making (juries, elections, the dreaded committee, …), these historical resources are often limited or sabotaged by human behavior to the point where many of us are not optimistic about the future. There is hope. Modern information technologies – from the internet to artificial intelligence resources – are changing how humans make decisions, hopefully making better decisions or solving more complex problems.
To make these new technologies as good or better than the historical resources, we must understand the science of these collective processes. The viewpoint taken here is that while human social processes are mind-bogglingly complex, there is a commonality across all social organisms determining how diverse individual information is assembled (or not) into collective decisions. Understanding these common collective processes provides a unique perspective on how to solve the complexities of human collective decision making.
Here is what you find on this website.
Introduction to CI: An example of how, in the mid-90s, the Symbiotic Intelligence Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory provided a new approach to solving problems that outperform experts based on the unique properties of the internet and information technologies. It discusses the potential of the internet in fostering CI, where individuals working for their own needs collectively generate a powerful problem-solving capability.
Unique Aspects of the Internet for CI: The Internet’s unique capabilities – its breadth (global connectivity), depth (detailed information capture), and accuracy (precise information transmission) – are essential for the emergence of modern CI implementations.
The Importance of Diversity in CI: encouraging the expression of diversity is essential in CI, showing through various examples and studies how diverse groups can solve complex problems more effectively than homogeneous groups or even experts.
Compatibility in Diverse Groups: Historically, the belief was that diverse groups actually perform poorly because of incompatibilities in diverse information or goals. The popularity of collective intelligence, such as Wiscom of the Crowds, has changed this belief. Given the right conditions, diversity is not a curse but an advantage and can be achieved by focusing on how diverse contributions must be compatible, especially at decision points where collective information is combined.
CI and Leadership Models: Surprise, collective intelligence can be viewed as a form of leadership that is self-organizing, distributed, more accurate, and more robust. CI is compared to traditional leadership models, suggesting a shift from power-based leadership to a more distributed, CI-inclusive leadership approach. It posits that leaders in CI environments are more facilitators of collective wisdom, distinctly different from traditional authoritative models.