Cognitive glues are shared models of relative scarcities: the economics of collective intelligence
Michael Levin, Benjamin Lyons; Cognitive glues are shared models of relative scarcities: the economics of collective intelligence. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 14 May 2026; 384 (2320): 20240528. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2024.0528 Download citation file: Collective intelligence has emergent problem-solving capacities that are different than those of its subunits. The plethora of multi-scale systems within nature and society makes it imperative to understand the interaction policies necessary and sufficient for emergence of collective intelligences. The economy is a complex system consisting of autonomous elements at multiple scales and which exhibits adaptive problem-solving capabilities, suggesting that the economy offers an interesting, important example of collective intelligence. We identify the price system as the cognitive glue of the economy by acting as a coordinating affordance that enables members to form plans that are mutually compatible. Using the collective intelli
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