Posted in governance on Jan 10th, 2011
Complex Systems Theory could help us predict public’s opinions. The applications are endless and rather scary, e.g. media manipulation for political control or commercial gains. On the other hand, these researches could also explain us how we interact in a society, and maybe in which conditions social change is possible. It is in any case necessary for the general public to become aware of these new techniques. If not, nothing will refrain their use for the benefit of a few. Here are three examples from the ECCS 2010 conference in Lisbon. (I have edited the paper introductions in order to make them more accessible.)
Posted in governance on Jan 6th, 2011
I was in Lisbon few months ago to attend the European Conference on Complex Systems. A demo of the study on verticality was displayed at the event, which gave me the opportunity to present my philosophical observations to a scientific crowd. It was extremely valuable to attend the various talks and to learn about the latest studies being made in the field of complex systems theory:
Posted in culture on Oct 21st, 2010
I saw this map in a station of the Berlin’s public transport. I found it very interesting and unusual. Its function is more than to merely provide facts about the S-Bahn ring, but also to influence our mental representation. Every map does so, but it is particularly striking in this case because they made it so symmetrical and ordered!
If you are also interested in subjective cartography, I recommend these strange maps.
Posted in philosophy on Apr 1st, 2010
List of system theories as enumerated by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in “General System Theory” (1968):
- Classical system theory, basically maths.
- Computerization and simulation using models.
- Compartment theory: “the system consists in subunits with certain boundary conditions between which transport process takes place”.
- Set theory, which studies general formal properties of systems.
- Graph theory concerned with topological space.
- Net theory, a generalisation of sequences (http://en.allexperts.com/e/n/ne/net_(mathematics).htm).
- Cybernetics: “A theory of control systems based on communication (transfer of information) between system and environment and within the system, and control (feedback) of the system’s function in regard to environment.”
