Stephen Downes, added a layer of depth and complexity to the metaphor that internet users are like social neurons of a global brain. Downes warns that this metaphor treats each neuron as identical; the internet as a network of sameness. In fact, both the brain and the internet depend on the diversity of both inputs and outputs. Each neuron is connected to a different network from every other neuron, even if collectively they all belong to one, larger network. “A city is not a group of people directed to create one goal,” says Downes, “but each seeking their own goals.” As Ethan Zuckerman puts it in his summary of Downes’ talk:

What we need to understand about the cloud is that each entity works based on its own internal needs and drives. In a cloud, there’s an equality of opportunity, the ability for each entity or neuron to connect to the network as a whole. What we’re going to see is a diversity of perspectives, not a shared understanding. But through the interdependence of entities, we expect interaction, truth and knowledge to be emergent properties of this network.

Presentation

Blog Posts

• “The Cloud and Collaboration” by Ulrike Reinhard
• “Stephen Downes, Anders Sandberg on Cloud Intelligence” by Ethan Zuckerman
• “The Cloud and Collaboration” by elearnspace
• “Presentation: Ars Electronica Symposium 2009 – Stephen Downes #arscloud” by forsjá://research – observations
• “The Cloud and Collaboration” by Stephen Downes

Twitter

1. Hisham_G #arscloud S. Downes: the result of which is “conviviality” Live at http://ustre.am/5J8N6 days ago from Ustream
2. pirchner @Karli – ob #arscloud wirklich ein optimaler hashtag ist? ich lese jedenfalls immer etwas anderes 6 days ago from TweetDeck
3. afromusing RT @MAMK: “community is not collaboration, rather it is cooperation” – Stephen Downes #arscloud6 days ago from Tweetie
4. yingeli #arscloud waere spannend, das thema aus der sicht der buddhistischem philisophie zu betrachten6 days ago from twidroid
5. jeanyim #arscloud T.T 最流畅的总是观众掌声响起的那一段…… (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
6. stiebitzhofer #arscloud Stephen Downes #fail Lots of key word completely meaningless..6 days ago from TweetDeck
7. Hisham_G #arscloud S. Downes:4 principles of “new socialism” autonomy equality of opportunity diversity interdependence Live at http://ustre.am/5J8N6 days ago from Ustream
8. Karli @joville noch nicht viel gesehen, das cloud-symposium ist bis jetzt sehr gut. #ars #arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
9. MAMK @EthanZ I am sitting behind you! #arscloud6 days ago from Tweetie
10. ooof Hey #arscloud 每一个组元做自己的事，但是整体的“意识”是一种”新社会主义“，整体将大于部分。”合作性的社会主义“ (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
11. ooof #arscloud 相连，相关，于是产生“合作”，一种自然的相关性就是“同类相聚”，然后是“反馈”,然后是“和谐”，也就是说：一个系统总是趋向更加稳定的状态。这种稳定态可以称为“和谐” (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
12. geraldbaeck Do I have to post in Chinese to get on the#arscloud wall?6 days ago from TweetDeck
13. ooof #arscloud 相连，相关，于是产生“合作”，一种自然的相关性就是“同类相聚”，然后是“和谐”，也就是说：一个系统总是趋向更加稳定的状态。这种稳定态可以称为“和谐”然后是“反馈” (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
14. Hisham_G #arscloud internet: outil de partage, communication, creation. intelligence à l’image des neurointeractions Live at http://ustre.am/5J8N6 days ago from Ustream
15. MAMK @arscloud “community is not collaboration, rather it is cooperation” – Stephen Downes #arscloud (via @MAMK)6 days ago from Tweetie
16. gandalfar Mechanisms of cooperation = mechanisms of association = mechanisms of neural connectivity #arscloud6 days ago from web
17. MAMK “community is not collaboration, rather it is cooperation” – Stephen Downes #arscloud6 days ago from Tweetie
18. ooof Hey #arscloud 语言有一些语法结构，但是由不同的词组成。“意义”是由相互作用之间产生的。 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
19. jqln Hello nerds #arscloud (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
20. NickyBaeck Komm nicht ins w-lan bei #arscloud und 3 Empfang fällt immer wieder aus. Interaktivitätshemmung.6 days ago from twidroid
21. gandalfar #concept of Neural Cooperation. Processes don’t have meaning, but is created through communication and collaboration #arscloud6 days ago from web
22. ooof #arscloud ooof 的理解：独立个体的综合，能形成一个有意义的系统。Xiao Qiang: 是的。但不是用“综合”这个泛泛的感念。而是形容这个“综合”的过程有如语言的产生 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
23. MAMK attending the cloud comp session at #arscloud I walked into a brilliant presentation by Stephen Downes.http://yfrog.com/5hr36xj6 days ago from Tweetie
24. KCABANA #arselectronica jetzt LIVE http://bit.ly/W17iz#arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
25. nobabe @Karli schade, das hoert isch mehr nach#MinimalArschCloud als nach global brain #arscloud an #fail#arscloud #linz #ars096 days ago from web
26. Funzafunza RT @Ars_Electronica: Sunny day in #linz: Cloudless but #arscloud is here for the day.6 days ago from TweetDeck
27. gandalfar Incommensurability #bigword #arscloud – impossible to measure or compare in value or size or excellence | not having a common factor6 days ago from web
28. ooof Hey #arscloud 一种同一性，是全都一致。同质性。还有一种涌现的同一性，是整体的”语义“性。每一个神经元是独一的，但是整体出现一个新的”意义“ (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
29. baoding wtf that’s me on @downes ‘ presentation opening screen!:) http://twitpic.com/gjr4x #arscloud6 days ago from twidroid
30. ooof Hey #arscloud 脑神经元，没有控制者，没有目的。 (ars_electronica live > http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
31. kellerabteil hihi RT@Karli großartig von partizipation & “global brain” reden & dann bestimmt eine handvoll leute was auf die twitterwall darf. #arscloud6 days ago from TwitterGadget
32. sophiehwang @downes is talking about neuron & collaberation reminds me of @isaac’s sharism. #arscloud6 days ago from Tweetie
33. ooof Hey #arscloud @downes 在讲他在讲“合作”和“分享”的关系。“学习”的”社会性“，”意义“的社会性。 (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
34. jeanyim #arscloud global brain，我们协同思考，但同时保持各自的身份认同/识别(identity) (ars_electronica live >http://ustre.am/5J8N)6 days ago from Ustream
35. Karli grossartig von partizipation und “global brain” reden und dann bestimmt eine handvoll leute was auf die twitterwall darf. #fail #arscloud6 days ago from TweetDeck
36. gandalfar Learning is social in nature -#commonunderstanding #arscloud

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