Six Degrees: The New Science of Networks - Hardcover

Watts, Duncan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0434009083 ISBN 13: 9780434009084

Publisher: William Heinemann, 2003

Synopsis

'Six degrees of separation' is a clich-, as is 'it's a small world', both clich-s of the language and clich-s of everyone's experience. We all live in tightly bonded social networks, yet linked to vast numbers of other people more closely than we sometimes think. Only in recent years, however, have scientists begun to apply insights from the theoretical study of networks to understand forms of network as superficially different as social networks and electrical networks, computer networks and economic networks, and to show how common principles underlie them all. Duncan Watts explores the science of networks and its implications, ranging from the Dutch tulipmania of the 17th century to the success of Harry Potter, from the impact of September 11 on Manhattan to the brain of the sea-slug, from the processes that lead to stockmarket crashes to the structure of the world wide web. As stimulating and life-changing as James Gleick's Chaos, Six Degrees is a ground-breaking and important book. (2002-10-18)

About this title

Review:

You may be only six degrees away from Kevin Bacon, but would he lend you his car? It depends on the network that links you. In Six Degrees, sociologist Duncan Watts examines networks like these: what they are, how they're being studied, and what we can use them for. When the power goes out, when we find that a stranger knows someone we know, when dot-com stocks soar in price, networks are evident. To illustrate the often complicated mathematics that describe such structures, Watts uses plenty of examples from real life, without which this book would quickly move beyond a general science readership. Small chapters make each thought-provoking conclusion easy to swallow, though some are hard to digest. For instance, in a short bit on "coercive externalities", Watts sums up sociological research showing that:

Conversations concerning politics displayed a consistent pattern ... On election day, the strongest predictor of electoral success was not which party an individual privately supported but which party he or she expected would win."

Six Degrees attempts to help readers understand the new and exciting field of networks and complexity. While considerably more demanding than a general book such as The Tipping Point, it offers readers a snapshot of a riveting moment in science, when understanding things such as disease epidemics and the stock market seems almost within our reach. --Therese Littleton, Amazon.com

Review:

"The insights here are fairly mind-blowing" (Independent)

"Accessible and engaging" (Nature)

"A fascinating read" (Good Book Guide)

"Watts looks at the new science of connectivity studies in a new and informative way...he takes us on a fascinating tour of a newly emerging subject" (Focus)

"Watt's theory is exciting for various reasons, but particularly because it brings together ideas from mathematics, physics and the social science. Oh, and popular culture, of course" (Independent on Sunday)

About this edition

• Publisher: William Heinemann
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0434009083
• ISBN 13: 9780434009084
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368