Collective Intelligence I

"We must therefore establish a form of decision-making in which voters need only ever pronounce on simple propositions, expressing their opinions only with a yes or a no. […] Clearly, if anyone’s vote was self-contradictory (intransitive), it would have to be discounted, and we should therefore establish a form of voting which makes such absurdities impossible." (Nicolas de Condorcet, "On the form of decisions made by plurality vote", 1788)

"Collective wisdom, alas, is no adequate substitute for the intelligence of individuals. Individuals who opposed received opinions have been the source of all progress, both moral and intellectual. They have been unpopular, as was natural." (Bertrand Russell, "Why I Am Not a Christian", 1927)

"The collective intelligence of any group of people who are thinking as a 'herd' rather than individually is no higher than the intelligence of the stupidest members. (Mary Day Winn, Adam's Rib, 1931)

"Learning is a property of all living organisms. […] Since organized groups can be looked upon as living entities, they can be expected to exhibit learning […]" (Winfred B. Hirschmann, "Profit from the Learning Curve", Harvard Business Review, 1964)

"A cardinal principle in systems theory is that all parties that have a stake in a system should be represented in its management." (Malcolm S Knowles, "The Adult Learner", 1973)

"Collective intelligence emerges when a group of people work together effectively. Collective intelligence can be additive (each adds his or her part which together form the whole) or it can be synergetic, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." (Trudy and Peter Johnson-Lenz, "Groupware: Orchestrating the Emergence of Collective Intelligence", cca. 1980)

"Cybernetic information theory suggests the possibility of assuming that intelligence is a feature of any feedback system that manifests a capacity for learning." (Paul Hawken et al, "Seven Tomorrows", 1982)

"The concept of organizational learning refers to the capacity of organizational complexes to develop experiential knowledge, instincts, and 'feel' or intuition which are greater than the combined knowledge, skills and instincts of the individuals involved." (Don E. Kash, "Perpetual Innovation", 1989)

"We haven't worked on ways to develop a higher social intelligence […] We need this higher intelligence to operate socially or we're not going to survive. […] If we don't manage things socially, individual high intelligence is not going to make much difference. [...] Ordinary thought in society is incoherent - it is going in all sorts of directions, with thoughts conflicting and canceling each other out. But if people were to think together in a coherent way, it would have tremendous power." (David Bohm, "New Age Journal", 1989)