Barabasi: The First Link

Q1. What elements or factors were critical to Paul's success in spreading the Christian message?

There seems two factors which made Paul's effort achieved. First, in order to spread Christianity beyond Judaism, he continued evangelizing without demanding circumcision and forcing strict food laws. In addition to that abolishment of high barriers to becoming a Christian, he reached to the biggest communities of his era so that he could reach and convert as many as possible.


Q2. Barabasi asks the question, "Could it happen again?" (p.4), what is your answer?

Though delivering of information around the world could be happen faster than Paul's era, I think there are so many information that we couldn't put importance on each news. So converting could be occurred at various place on the world, but not in big fever.


Q3. What new kinds of maps have been made of our interconnectivity (p.5)? What kinds of interconnectivity would you like to see mapped?

Map of the Internet, companies connected by trade or ownership, interaction between species in ecosystems, and genes in cell have been made. I would like to see mapped how connect the academic relationships between proffessors in Tokyo regardless which university they belong now.


Q4. What is the 'real surprise' (p.5) that such maps have revealed?
Personally, does this surprise you?

'Real surprise' is that highly simple and far-reaching natural laws govern the construction and evolution of all the complex networks that surround us. And I was surprised by that.


Q5. How does the author define the nature of most scientific research in the 20th Century? What is the problem associated with such an approach (p.6-7)?

The author difines the way of research as reductionism. However, since nature is more complexed than scientists expect, this approach can not reach understanding the universe as a whole.


Q6. What does Barabasi predict will be the new focus of scientific research in the coming era (p.7)? What is your view?

He predicts that the research by scientific community will be focused on social networks responding to the future domination of our life by the Internet.
And I agree his opinion due to my own experiences of changing life style caused by the Internet.