Owen, Steve,
I am embarrassed to say, this is the first I have heard of it.
It may be too late for this old bird.
Nick
Nicholas S. Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
Clark University
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
<http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
*From:*Friam [mailto:friam-boun...@redfish.com] *On Behalf Of *Owen
Densmore
*Sent:* Monday, February 06, 2017 8:25 PM
*To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
<friam@redfish.com>
*Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] Complexity Science for (us) Dummies
Complexity Explorer is the best thing SFI has produced, other than
perhaps there video library of talks. For me, anyway.
-- Owen
On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 4:07 PM, Steven A Smith <sasm...@swcp.com
<mailto:sasm...@swcp.com>> wrote:
Nick -
Vortices aside, I just checked the Syllabi of the Complexity
Explorer and find that there are MANY courses that might be of
interest to you. Do you find the language in them out of reach?
Would having a small study group online help with that? Are
there any particular topics there (
https://www.complexityexplorer.org/explore/syllabi) of interest?
- Steve
On 2/6/17 3:51 PM, Steven A Smith wrote:
Nick -
I DO remember he tornado/vortex/swirlie discussions of yore,
and in fact, those were characteristic of the discussions I
appreciated there being here, just as I appreciated the "book
club" you spearheaded on a Complexity topic even earlier (what
book was that?). I also appreciated your "noodling" concept
back in the day (not complexity as such, excepting for the
idea of emergent knowledge). I think your contribution to
this list, with your own specific background and as an
unabashed "innocent' on many topics is very valuable. I
realize my encouraging Doug in his juvenile responses (e.g.
Swirlies) did undermine your attempt to be serious about
tornadoes, but it DID lead you to meeting his Parrots I
think? I have a fresh batch of Ravens at my place who you
are welcome to come engage with their vocalizations (no wife
now to limit my open invitations, just a vicious dog who I can
sequester with minor warning).
I agree that the deeper methods of Complexity Science ARE
difficult and subtle, but in many ways more intuitive and
accessible (IMO) than those of Relativistic and Quantum
Physics. The *ideas* (as I think Glen suggests) *are* pretty
available... I would suggest that your own field might be
harder for educated laypersons from "adjacent fields" to
grasp, with even more reserved terminology? The fact that
Complexity Science spans (virtually?) all sciences ( and
engineering and technology ) means it *must* be accessible
laterally. There is little to no value to stovepiping it. I
know some folks have made quite a living off of making
Complexity Science arcane... but far from all. I think SFI
does a very good job in general.
I don't know what it can be done in this forum, but perhaps.
I think that what complexityexplorer.org
<http://complexityexplorer.org> (thanks to SFI) is trying to
do is exactly what you are seeking? I sat in on the first
round (online ) but it was "remedial" enough for me to not
hold my interest, though I *do* much need the thoroughness
involved. I had hoped there would form a "study group" here
to follow the classes and have lots of peer support. I don't
remember their being much engagement in this forum?
I will agree with Glen's observation that a "complexity
perspective" is ever-present here, which is part of what makes
it all worthwhile. I withdraw any implication that we need
more use of arcane complexity science terminology, or that
what we *do* have here isn't appreciated.
- Steve
On 2/6/17 1:39 PM, Nick Thompson wrote:
Dear all,
Steve Smith wrote:
I feel we *don't* discuss as many Complexity topics as I
would like,
I will talk about tornado formation, a n y t I m e, Steve.
Seriously, I wonder if the fact that we have stopped
talking about complexity might have something to do with
the state of play of that field. I reached a point where
I began to feel that complexity-talk went on in some
alternative universe that, without the initiation and the
golden key, I was never going to enter. You will remember,
Steve, that I worked for a couple of years, trying to
make a translation between that universe and mine, and was
never able to manage it. When the working vocabulary of a
science is inaccessible to a diligent, moderately
intelligent, practitioner of neighboring sciences, does
that not limit the development of that science?
By the way, when I first came out here I tried to make
contact with SFI. At the time, I wrote up the result in a
/satirical/ account, which, to be honest, reeks of sour
grapes. Still, in the present context you might find it
funny. See attached.
Omitted from this account was one life-changing exchange
with Dr. X. At some point, during Phase II of The Ritual
Reception and Rejection, I asked him, “Given that The
Institute is such a charismatic place, and given that you
have no room, where do all the people go when you reject
them? There must be a lot of them around Santa Fe.”
I am everlastingly grateful for his response. He thought a
very long minute and then scribbled on a Posty and handed
it to me. It said, “Call Steve Guerin. FRIAM.”
The rest is history.
Nick
Nicholas S. Thompson
Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology
Clark University
http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/
<http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/>
*From:*Friam [mailto:friam-boun...@redfish.com] *On Behalf
Of *Steven A Smith
*Sent:* Monday, February 06, 2017 12:00 PM
*To:* The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
<friam@redfish.com> <mailto:friam@redfish.com>
*Subject:* Re: [FRIAM] SFI to Trump: The dangers of
simplicity in a complex world
I appreciate FriAM, even though I don't attend Friday
Congregation very often, or even WedTech Congregation
either! The *active* voices here are familiar and even
though I may have a lot of different perspectives and
opinions, I truly value what I hear here, and more than
anything I look forward to one of our *many* lurkers
chiming in.
I feel we *don't* discuss as many Complexity topics as I
would like, but I like knowing that there are many with
strong Complexity backgrounds engaged in the more
sociopolitical discussions that seem to dominate.
Since I feel a bit like Glen in his statement "Since I
don't belong anywhere, I obviously didn't belong
there"... I'm enough used to being an outsider or an
interloper that I generally can slip into alien situations
and keep a low enough profile to not raise alarm or cause
disruption.
This forum, being asynchronous and as Gary points out,
"easy to delete" feels like a safe place FOR me to speak
up above a hushed whisper... so I value it as well.
SFx was intended to be a more open and welcoming
environment to share the wealth from... I think we did a
moderately good job much of the time, but still missed the
mark in at least developing a sustainable funding model.
- Steve
On 2/6/17 11:49 AM, Gary Schiltz wrote:
It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway -
FRIAM, both the list and the actual gathering at the
"mothership" of Santa Fe - has always felt welcoming.
It's the only list I've stayed with since its
inception. I don't know if there are any SFI lurkers
here, but there do seem to be a lot of people who
"used to" have some association with it rather than
those who are actively involved with it. I've no idea
how much is due to a bit of snobbery vs. just simply
the fact that the list is open to such a wide range of
stuff that isn't interesting to folks interested
purely in complexity. I find it easy enough just to
delete messages when I get too overwhelmed, confident
that they are archived so I can eventually look them over.
On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 1:34 PM, glen ☣
<geprope...@gmail.com <mailto:geprope...@gmail.com>>
wrote:
FWIW, I felt fairly unwelcome soon after I left to
work in our Agua Fria office (1997 maybe), perhaps
since I was merely a research technician rather
than any sort of academic. Then it got even worse
when they expanded down the hill by staffing a
receptionist. I always managed to sneak past
without being grilled to badly ... but the concept
was clear: do you belong here? Since I don't
belong anywhere, I obviously didn't belong there. 8^)
On 02/05/2017 03:40 PM, Frank Wimberly wrote:
> That makes sense but I just sat there quietly
and listened. No
> self-aggrandizing questions. And then I left.
--
☣glen
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Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
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