Emergence : The Connected Lives Of Ants, Brains... May 2026

specific sections of the book (like the "Street Level" analysis of urban development).

is a 2001 nonfiction book by Steven Johnson that explores how complex systems develop intelligence without a central leader. It argues that "bottom-up" systems—where simple agents follow basic local rules—can create sophisticated, adaptive global behaviors. Core Concepts Emergence : the connected lives of ants, brains...

: Swarm logic works when agents interact with what is immediately around them. Key Examples specific sections of the book (like the "Street