Re: [Fis] Continuing Discussion of Social and Cultural Complexity

Dear Igor and Stan,

Just a couple of pills to continue the e-conversation. Rather than an
outlandish theme, I consider this discussion of social complexity as
central to FIS agenda and --should be crucial-- to the new science of this
century. it is so obvious that our personal limitations and the limitations
of our shared knowledge are not conducing to proper managements of social
complexity, either in economic, political, ecological (global warming), or
energy grounds...

As often argued in this list, the mental schemes and modes of thought so
successful in physics during past centuries, do not provide those overall
contemplations needed for the social realm. Insisting on surrogates, eg,
hierarchical schemes, or even most of complexity science, is worse than
wrong: self-defeating, cul-de-sac.

The realm of economy is almost pure information. Rather than planning,
markets are very clever ways to handle informational complexity. They
partake a number of formal properties (eg, power laws) indicating that they
work as info conveyors on global, regional & sectorial, local scales.
Paradoxically, "rational" planning can take a man to the moon, or win a
war, but cannot bring bread and butter to the breakfast table every day.
Planning only, lacks the openness, flexibility, resilience, etc. of
markets. A combination of both, with relative market superiority looks
better...

with regards,

Pedro

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Received on Wed Feb 21 12:37:25 2007