I tried to join this discussion from a friend's computer - and apparently I could not get through. But anyhow!
My "translation" of Stuart Kauffman was - "A relatively safe nutrient environment." I say "translation" because often Kauffman is hard to pin down. In fact he never actually lists the essential preconditions for self-organization. You have to wander through the text and pick them out for yourself. I have done that on multiple occasions and I think I have it right. My confidence level is increased by the fact that some of his colleagues who have read my stuff agree. But what can I say? But in terms of my statement -- ("A relatively safe nutrient environment."), it is not really about food as such. Maybe "supportive" would have been more accurate. But my point is that you have to have the necessary stuff available before anything useful could happen. In the case of an Open Space you need the requisite number of people who care, and whose "caring" is informed by some degree of knowledge. In short they have to know more or less what they are talking about. But the real issue is "relative safety." Some people have talked about the sort of space created in an Open Space as "safe space" - a space where ideas, hopes and dreams may be shared even if they are unpopular, not phrased in the most felicitous fashion, or just clumsy. But the space can't be "too safe" or there will be no sense of expectation and urgency. A sense of risk does seem to sharpen the mind and enhance the quality of conversation. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20854 Phone 301-365-2093 Skype hhowen Open Space Training <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute <http://www.openspaceworld.org/> www.openspaceworld.org Personal website <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Martin Boroson Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 11:24 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Philosophical Question Dear all: I have a couple of philosophical questions about the concept of a "stable nutrient environment." According to Stuart Kauffman, as quoted by Harrison, this is Condition #1 for self-organization. My questions: a. What does this mean scientifically? Presumably Kauffman is talking primarily about biological systems, as he is a biologist. Does he mean sufficient food supply? That would make sense - you need sufficient food in order to do anything -- but on the other hand, fundamental environmental challenges to a system (such as lack of food supply) are surely one of the perturbations that can induce a re-organization. b. I'm also curious to know how each of you would interpret "stable nutrient environment" in terms of organizational change. What would be the "stable nutrient environment" required? Abundant coffee and cake at your conference? Lifetime job security for all the organization's employees? Or something in between? ;) Namaste Marty * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist