Origin Stories: Geist in the Machine

Origin Stories: Geist In the Machine

Gilbert Ryle coins the phrase "the Ghost in the Machine"

In his 1949, book The Concept of Mind, British Philosopher, Gilbert Ryle critiques the popular opinion that the mind is distinct from the body. He sarcastically calls it “the ghost in the machine”.

1967

Albert Koestler publishes "The Ghost In the Machine" & Todd Geist Is Born

In his book, Koestler starts with Ryle’s idea that the mind is not a separate entity, temporarily inhabiting the body, and goes on to to make case that this “illusion of seperateness” is what causes human violence and self destructive behavior.

Robert Todd Geist is born in Milwaukee Wisconsin in May of 1967. “Geist” is a not a common, but not unheard of family name in the midwest, and means “Ghost” in German.

1981

The Police release "Ghost In the Machine"

Sting, the lead singer of the Police has read Koestler’s book, and names their latest album after it. The album cover featuring three heads formed from red digital displays on a black background will become an icon of 1980’s pop culture.

Todd is Sophomore in High School and transfixed by another British Rock invasion lead by such acts as The Police and U2

2019

The Geist in your Business Innovation Machine

After years of building custom FileMaker applications with the team at Geist Interactive, Todd realizes that organizations are being drawn into building an ad-hoc network of applications because the economics of the cloud are so good. Furthermore he realizes that business innovation comes in large part through the successful management and expansion of this custom application network.

He coins the phrase “Business Innovation Machine” to describe the unique custom network of applications, services, devices and people that powers an innovative business.

The company adopts the tagline “We are the Geist in your Business Innovation Machine”