Can a crowd compute without anyone seeing the whole problem?
Imagine a room of people, each following one small rule and passing the result to someone else. Could the room solve a problem that no individual can see?
Questions you could explore
- What information would each person need, and where would the partial results meet?
Start reading
- Google Research / OSDI 2004MapReduce: Simplified Data Processing on Large Clusters
The original MapReduce abstract describes how computers split work and combine results. It offers a concrete comparison for the imagined human network, not evidence about collective consciousness.
Ready to try your ideas aloud?
Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.