If we are to understand the interactions of a large number of agents, we must first be able to describe the capabilities of individual agents.

nonlinear interactions almost always make the behavior of the aggregate more complicated than would be predicted by summing or averaging.

Evolution continually innovates, but at each level it conserves the elements that are recombined to yield the innovations.

If there is to be a competition, there must be some basis for resolving it. It is also clear that the competition should be experienced based.

The recycling of resource by the aggregate behavior of a diverse array of agents is much more than the sum of the individual actions.

Unwrapping occurs when the "solution" is explicitly built into the program from the start.

Particular individuals do not recur, but their building blocks do.

Looking back to data, we can see if the consequences are plausible; looking forward to theory, we can see if general principles are suggested.

This use of building blocks to generate internal models is a pervasive feature of complex adaptive systems.

From the point of view of physics, it is a miracle that [seven million New Yorkers are fed each day] without any control mechanism other than sheer capitalism.

The measure of performance of any given agent is the amount of money it accumulates through its actions.

Writing means being a fascinated slave to current events.

Mythology is a set of primitive lies that people rarely believe. This is rather different from history, which is a set of lies that people believe.

Polly had arrived in the world outraged to discover that her sisters had gotten there before her.

In the scientific community, the debate is over, for all intents and purposes, about whether or not the planet is heating and who is causing it. In fact, it's more or less been over since 1995.

We have a mental block inside us that stops us from earning more than we think we are worth. If we want to earn more in reality, we have to upgrade our self-concept.

Imagination is built upon knowledge.

A man may be variously accomplished, and yet be a feeble poet.

We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.

Marry first, and love will come after is a shocking assertion; since a thousand things may happen to make the state but barely tolerable, when it is entered into with mutual affection.

People say "I want peace." If you remove I (ego), and your want (desire), you are left with peace.