The rise in network thinking

Social_Network_Analysis_VisualizationA nice article here in the Scientific American, on ‘How Networks Are Revolutionizing Scientific (and Maybe Human) Thought’.

“Modern research in sociology, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology is showing that… what we are like as individuals critically depends on how we are linked socially and emotionally with others, in relational networks reaching far and wide.”

For example, we have historically tended to think of people as being part of races, nationalities, ethnic groups, societies, or cultures. But then network thinking shows us that we are connected to anyone else in the world by only six degrees of separation.

This way of thinking collapses the world immeasurably, and creates many more possibilities than the old worldview.

For example, it influences the way ideas spread. The networks we are part of are partly driven by ethnicity, sexual orientation, and so on, but everybody is linked to everybody else within six degrees of freedom.

This makes complete sense using The Escher Cycle. Continue Reading >

Tenth anniversary ebook edition, now available

cover-hi-resWe are pleased and proud to announce that the celebratory tenth anniversary edition of The Escher Cycle is now available as an ebook on Amazon, so you can easily carry it with you at all times.

This second edition of the 2004 hardcover original has a few minor edits, all of the original 80+ figures and tables, and a new preface.

Copies are available through all Amazon sites, but here are links to the relevant UK and US pages (which will display a link to your local site if you need one):

Amazon uk, opens in new window

Amazon.com, opens in new window


Note:
The book is in kindle format. If you do not have a kindle you can download a free reader app for your device (PC, apple, android, iphone) from the Amazon web page.