Revision to My Systems Science Slides

From comments given here at QE, in e-mails I have received, and from colleagues, I got the message that maybe tackling global warming might be a reach beyond! Taking all of that into consideration, but especially doing an informal focus group test (with students), and in thinking through how I would actually get through examples, I am happy to announce a revision of my original slide set for the upcoming summer course I plan to teach!!!!

Actually, I can't believe, in retrospect, that I hadn't thought of this before. But it hit me like a bolt of lightening last night, and I have been feverishly working on the revision all morning. Instead of focusing on a scary PROBLEM, I've settled on focusing on ... (drum roll) PERMACULTURE.

I've been preaching the virtues of permaculture as the application of systems science (specifically systems ecology) to achieve sustainable living for a long time now. What better model to use in explicating the virtues of systems science than this??? Rather than talk about a downer predicament that might not really have any solution, systems engineered or otherwise, and come to the end of the course without answers, wouldn't it be better to present an already worked out "solution" to sustainable living as a framework for learning about systems science and thinking?

Many heartfelt thanks to those of you who urged caution and reconsideration of my chosen motivating topic. I actually think I will bring much more passion to the course as a result of switching to permaculture. I'm even thinking about some field trips to see local permaculture operations.

If you want to see the revisions the revised slides have replaced the old ones at:

Thinking Systemically I

Thinking Systemically II

George

Comments

[step back]

George,

Much better!

I think you are going somewhere important.

If you don't mind some constructive critique, may I recommend the e-book:

http://books.google.com/books?id=JycEfASL858C&printsec=frontcover&dq=myth+of+harmony&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LRlfT4z-AajKiAKLnIi0BA&ved=0CFgQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=myth%20of%20harmony&f=false

True "Perma"-culture is not possible without dynamic control

We've been driving other species toward extinction since the dawn of time and they (the microbes) have been doing the same to us

[step back]

George,

Some more constructive critique (if you don't mind):

Part 1, slide 2, line 2:

I would change it to say:

"COMPLEX systems behave in complex ways and usually evolve over time due to advantage-seeking sub-components"

More to the point, essentially every semi-sustainable eco-system evolves to have a predator species and a prey species because it is evolution-wise advantageous to both (as long as the predator species is not too "clever")

[George Mobus]

Hi Step.

Re: the e-book. I could only read part of chapter 1. But I think I get where he is going.

In my evolution stream I consider the long-term evolution of complex systems in which a hierarchical control system emerges and continues to evolve. Best examples taken from life where the metabolic processes within cells and the physiological feedback systems in bodies represent different forms of hierarchical control making more complex systems both possible and stable. My conjecture with sapience evolution is that the same kind of structure is emerging in human society. Of course it may not get a chance to fully mature given our species intent to destroy itself!

I changed the word 'whole' to complex as you suggest. I think the complexities of "due to advantage-seeking sub-components" might be a bit advanced for this group, at this point in the course. I do cover this in the book however.

George