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Smart World
This provocative book argues that creative breakthroughs are born when individuals and groups access new idea-spaces and exploit the principles that govern them. Boldly outlining a new science of ideas, he sets out nine laws that govern idea-spaces.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 28, 2011
A thoughtful and readable treatise on the process of innovative breakthroughs. Told in the case study method, the arguments are revealed and the points illustrated by concise retellings of several innovative breakthroughs such as Watson and Crick's identification of DNA and it's structure. Barbie's revolutionary re-make toy dolls, Frank Ghery's architecture, Guttenburg's printing press and Picasso's cubism are also held up to illustrate the theories. The myth of the lone genius illustrated by Edison's claim that genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration is taken to task by this author. Rather, his vignettes illustrate that those who can make connections between idea spaces only loosely related by weak ties are the ones making the big breakthroughs. There's nothing really new under the sun it seems, just new ways to connect and combine ideas and processes. Several other contributing forces are described like the "law" of fitness, the law of the fit get rich, and so on. Maybe it's because I don't have a Harvard education but, I found some of the authors " laws" a bit complicated and confusing. I did however, love the vignettes and the overall description of the author's theory of the processes of innovative breakthroughs. His discussion of the the innovative necessity of connecting loose ties really got me thinking and was my favorite thread throughout the book. While I loved the book and it's ideas have stirred up my thought processes, I'm a bit skeptical that all of this represents a "new science of ideas". At the end of the day, if you are interested in innovation and how innovative leaps occur, this book should be well worth your time.
October 10, 2012
Have you ever wished you were more creative? I certainly have and not just because it would be awesome if I could draw. As a grad student, one of the most challenging aspects of research is being able to come up with creative new ways to solve problem. As in many fields, that makes creativity not just a hobby, but a career promoting skill. This book is a synthesis of the latest research related to creativity, particularly major breakthroughs and works of artistic genius.
As a scientist myself, I appreciate and trust non-fiction based on research, so I had high hopes for this one. Smart World looks at creativity from a network perspective, viewing geniuses as people particularly gifted at navigating a network of ideas. And yes… that is as abstract as it sounds. Fortunately, as a computer science major, I was pretty comfortable reading a book where each chapter applies a concept from traditional networks to the the author’s proposed “idea space”. Unfortunately, the author supported his assertion with entirely anecdotal evidence that could be interpreted in a variety of ways. He also provided very little of the practical advice I hoped would follow the introduction of his theory.
As you might expect from a book that’s heavy on theory, Smart World was written in a very academic fashion. Occasionally aspects of the author’s theory were thought-provoking and made me think about how I do research. Those were the high points. The rest of the time the author’s rules for network behavior were so abstract they were hard to think about in any meaningful way. As a final disappointment, his section intended to give more applicable advice was very short and not very helpful. I therefore finished the book feeling like it presented a novel but essentially useless way of looking at the world.
This review first published on Doing Dewey .
As a scientist myself, I appreciate and trust non-fiction based on research, so I had high hopes for this one. Smart World looks at creativity from a network perspective, viewing geniuses as people particularly gifted at navigating a network of ideas. And yes… that is as abstract as it sounds. Fortunately, as a computer science major, I was pretty comfortable reading a book where each chapter applies a concept from traditional networks to the the author’s proposed “idea space”. Unfortunately, the author supported his assertion with entirely anecdotal evidence that could be interpreted in a variety of ways. He also provided very little of the practical advice I hoped would follow the introduction of his theory.
As you might expect from a book that’s heavy on theory, Smart World was written in a very academic fashion. Occasionally aspects of the author’s theory were thought-provoking and made me think about how I do research. Those were the high points. The rest of the time the author’s rules for network behavior were so abstract they were hard to think about in any meaningful way. As a final disappointment, his section intended to give more applicable advice was very short and not very helpful. I therefore finished the book feeling like it presented a novel but essentially useless way of looking at the world.
This review first published on Doing Dewey .
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May 5, 2010New York Times columnist David Brooks has chosen to discuss Smart World: Breakthrough Creativity And the New Science of Ideas by Richard Ogle on FiveBooks as one of the top five on his subject – Neuroscience, saying that:
“…This book is very underappreciated. Ogle translates some of the ideas I’ve been talking about into the world of business and creativity. He popularizes the work of philosopher Andy Clark, who says ideas don’t just exist in one head, but in a whole bunch of minds at once. Ogle argues that we’re embedded in ‘idea-spaces’ and creativity comes from idea-spaces merging together. The simple illustration is Picasso, who existed in the culture of western art, but came across a separate culture, of African masks, and merged the two to create Cubism. Ogle’s book is about how that happens, ranging from Picasso to the invention of the personal computer...."
The full interview is available here: http://fivebooks.com/interviews/david...
“…This book is very underappreciated. Ogle translates some of the ideas I’ve been talking about into the world of business and creativity. He popularizes the work of philosopher Andy Clark, who says ideas don’t just exist in one head, but in a whole bunch of minds at once. Ogle argues that we’re embedded in ‘idea-spaces’ and creativity comes from idea-spaces merging together. The simple illustration is Picasso, who existed in the culture of western art, but came across a separate culture, of African masks, and merged the two to create Cubism. Ogle’s book is about how that happens, ranging from Picasso to the invention of the personal computer...."
The full interview is available here: http://fivebooks.com/interviews/david...
June 3, 2010
How does creativity happen and how is it related to genius? Ogle thinks he knows and provides a comprehensive theory to explain it. Because it is comprehensive, it is also quite complicated, so perhaps only geniuses would be able to apply it. But since Ogle downplays the notion of true genius, then perhaps us regular mortals have some hope.
The book is quite intersting and takes up the complex and interrelated elements that have gone into great leaps of accomplishment in business, science, and art.
Like many general social theories, this one has to take in a multitude of variables and infinite pathways to creative breakthroughs. This is a much more sensible approach than the cookbook style business books that tout results for anybody who follows a formula. If it were that simple, everybody would do it.
The organization I work for, the National Academy Foundation, has invited Mr. Ogle to speak at its upcoming National Leadership Summit. I have had the pleasure of helping to prepare him for his address.
More to come.
The book is quite intersting and takes up the complex and interrelated elements that have gone into great leaps of accomplishment in business, science, and art.
Like many general social theories, this one has to take in a multitude of variables and infinite pathways to creative breakthroughs. This is a much more sensible approach than the cookbook style business books that tout results for anybody who follows a formula. If it were that simple, everybody would do it.
The organization I work for, the National Academy Foundation, has invited Mr. Ogle to speak at its upcoming National Leadership Summit. I have had the pleasure of helping to prepare him for his address.
More to come.
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February 14, 2016Great book linking network theory and innovation. The extension of the mind's imagination, intuition, and innovation. Told through tales like Watson and Crick's discovery of DNa and the Mattel Barbie long bet.
February 26, 2008
We have to think differently and use the smart systems we are building around us to take on some of the load, to free us to use our mind for bigger tasks. I had a hard time getting through this one.
January 2, 2014
the prose wasn't great, and I had problems with the metaphors being explored. Network theory bits were still somewhat interesting.
November 17, 2015
The concept was good, but good have been accomplished in about 50 pages.
January 7, 2015
Starting point to how creativity works.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews