In “The Myth of the Ant Queen,” Johnson emphasizes the decentralized behavior that is inherent in nature and suggests that hierarchical theories of human society are not compatible with this theory. The “pattern-recognition problems” of Oliver Selfridge that Johnson discusses (205-206) are an example of this notion. Using examples (with appropriate quotes) from both texts, answer the question:
“To what degree is Facebook an example of a self-organizing system like the ones that Johnson describes? Does Facebook eliminate the need for centralized control, or does it merely appear to?“
Questions to consider that might help with your response:
- In what ways did the city of Manchester develop as a self-organizing system? (198-199)
- How does the notion of self-organizing systems relate to Warren Weaver’s ideas on “organized complexity”?
- What is the essential difference between Zuckerberg’s algorithms and Selfridge’s mini-programs (206-207)?
the essay must be 5 full pages with an intro, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion!!!
Required formatting: stapled, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-pt. font (Times New Roman), MLA format (Your headers, page numbers, and quotations should be formatted properly.
You need to support your answer and use at least 2 quotes from each author and readings, “Mark Zuckerberg’s War on Free Will,” by Franklin Foer and from “The Myth of the Ant Queen,” by Steven Johnson.
I have access to both readings if you need to i will send it to you or give a link to them.
