Distributed Intelligence

Brain cancer is...

...behaving very intelligently.

You see from the above photo that the faucet project is finished.  Hurrah!

That's the bathroom faucet, which no longer leaks, and as a side benefit updates the lavatory.  

You may have noticed that we've mentioned the faucet project a few times this week.  It started on our first day up, looking something like this:

The next day it looked like this:

(Side note:  I was under the sink at one point too.)  This is right about the point where Darrell became frustrated with himself.  He has changed many a faucet in his day.  Why was this one such a struggle?

Because the hot water tap bolt was stuck, stuck, stuck.  Cue a new tool:

It's a basin wrench, by the way.  (Look at me with my wrench words!)

If you've ever met a basin wrench, you know that the handle should be straight, not bent.  This one is bent.  (Look upper left.)  Why?  Because Darrell bent the wrench with his superhuman strength.

And still the hot water tap bolt remained stuck, stuck, stuck. 

Darrell's frustration level:  About a 9.  Cue Mitch and Matt the deck guys!

(Since they refinished the decks this spring, Mitch and Matt have also proven themselves as the door guys and now the faucet guys.)

Darrell was feeling a little shaky about his plumbing intelligence when we called in help.  Once the project was finished, though, he was ready for a brief educational psychology lecture from his wife.

Hurrah!  I knew it was going to be a great day!  

Distributed Intelligence

Here's the mini lecture.  (Save yourself!  Click away!)

In the notion of Distributed Intelligence, intelligence is not something that comes in fixed amounts that we are born with and lives solely inside our individual crania.  

Instead, intelligence is fluid, not fixed.  And it exists not just in our brains, but among us and in our actions that help us solve problems.  Distributed intelligence exists in how a person orchestrates available tools (basin wrench), resources (smart phone), and people (Mitch and Matt the faucet guys) to accomplish a goal.

In other words, four heads (plus tools) are better than one.  Isn't that an optimistic view of intelligence?  Smarter today than yesterday.  Smarter together.  

And the sink works great!

And the acorn woodpecker finally arrived today!  Here it is showing off the back of its head, wearing its striking red cap.

And Darrell--ever learning new things to behave intelligently in different contexts--is joining me in the watercolor wash project!

And the emcee is here, making great recommendations!  The emcee demands respect.  Look how carefully Shadow listens.

 So many good things snuggled into one day!

Thanks for being part of our good news and our distributed intelligence, loved ones!

Today's Blooms