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The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools and Societies

From Santa Fe Institute Events Wiki

2007 Public Lectures


Scott E. Page is Professor of Complex Systems, Political Science, and Economics at the University of Michigan and External Faculty Member of the Santa Fe Institute. He is author of The Difference and coauthor of Complex Adaptive Social Systems (Princeton).


Discussant: Jon Wilkins, Professor, Santa Fe Institute


Why can teams of people find better solutions than brilliant individuals working alone? And why are the best group decisions and predictions those that draw upon the very qualities that make each of us unique? The answers lie in diversity-not what we look like outside, but what we look like within, our distinct tools and abilities. Moving beyond the politics that cloud standard debates about diversity, Page discusses why difference beats out homogeneity, whether you’re talking about citizens in a democracy or scientists in the laboratory. He examines practical ways to apply diversity’s logic to a host of problems, and along the way offers surprising examples, from the redesign of the Chicago “El” to the truth about where we store our ketchup.


Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 pm

James A. Little Theater

New Mexico School for the Deaf

1060 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe