Cultural-Historical Perspectives on Collective Intelligence

In the era of digital communication, collective problem solving is increasingly important. Large groups can now resolve issues together in completely different ways, which has transformed the arts, sciences, business, education, technology, and medicine. Collective intelligence is something we share with animals and is different from machine learning and artificial intelligence. To design and utilize human collective intelligence, we must understand how its problem-solving mechanisms work. From democracy in ancient Athens, through the invention of the printing press, to COVID-19, this book analyzes how humans developed the ability to find solutions together. This wide-ranging, thought-provoking book is a game-changer for those working strategically with collective problem solving within organizations and using a variety of innovative methods. It sheds light on how humans work effectively alongside machines to confront challenges that are more urgent than what humanity has faced before. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

'Rolf Baltzersen has written the best book to date on collective intelligence in relation to innovation processes and cultural evolution. It is both a precise and informative manual and a very inspiring manifesto.' Pierre A. Lévy, Professor of Communication, University of Ottawa, Canada, 'The book introduces you to the extraordinary Collective intelligence (CI) world and signposts different perspectives on CI. It explores common practices and characterizations of the phenomenon and then tackles context-based problem solving. It also discusses how CI can be successful in scientific and political domains. This book is a helpful reference for scholars and business professionals alike.' Jaime Meza, Doctor in Project and Systems Engineering, Technical University of Manabi, Ecuador, 'This is an excellent survey of the state of knowledge about collective intelligence, which shows its relevance to a huge range of issues, from COVID-19 to citizen science and the future of democracy. The book also contains wonderfully rich examples of collective intelligence in history, from ancient Athens to the renaissance, showing the fertility of innovation around organising thought and decision-making at large scale. I strongly recommend it.' Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation, University College London, UK, 'Rolf Baltzersen provides a compelling overview of collective intelligence, organizing cutting-edge research from a variety of disciplines within cultural-historical contexts. His distinction between swarm, stigmergic, and collaborative problem solving, which applies to human and nonhuman collectives alike, produces novel insights and makes an important contribution to the lexicon.' Scott Page, John Seely Brown Distinguished University Professor of Complexity, Social Science, and Management, University of Michigan, USA, 'In the era of digital communication, collective problem solving is increasingly important. Large groups can now resolve issues together in completely different ways, which has transformed the arts, sciences, business, education, technology, and medicine. Collective intelligence is something we share with animals and is different from machine learning and artificial intelligence. To design and utilize human collective intelligence, we must understand how its problem-solving mechanisms work. From democracy in ancient Athens, through the invention of the printing press, to COVID-19, this book analyzes how humans developed the ability to find solutions together. This wide-ranging, thought-provoking book is a game-changer for those working strategically with collective problem solving within organizations and using a variety of innovative methods. It sheds light on how humans work effectively alongside machines to confront the most urgent challenges ever faced by humanity. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.' Rolf K. Baltzersen, Professor in the Faculty of Education at Østfold University College, Norway

Rolf K. Baltzersen is Professor in the Faculty of Education at Østfold University College, Norway. His research interests include collective intelligence, communication, metacognition, educational technology, and teaching.