Toward a promise of tomorrow using interconnecting theory to re-connect [Charles Francois, ISSS 1998 Paper Session, July 20/98]

These notes are a rough transcription, prepared as each individual presenter and/or commentator spoke at the ISSS 1998 conference. Gaps and errors have likely occurred. For more accurate citations, please consult the original presenters. These notes have been contributed to the ISSS by David Ing, of the IBM Advanced Business Institute (sabi@systemicbusiness.org).

Charles Francois, editor, International Encyclopedia of Cybernetics and Systemics

Was going to speak about a theory of interconnections (as a research idea, not a real paper!)

• No system can exist without interconnections.
• But we still don't have a good understanding of interconnections and interactions.

• An energy field within another energy field? (A program for research).

3. How do some interactions become stabilized, while others become destroyed?

• e.g. in construction of the brain.

• e.g. biological connected with social.

• Chaos: usually think of one interconnection working independently of others.
• Propagation is never instantaneous, so absolute determinism is broken, leaving relative determinism.
• Global determinism is only statistical.
• Power laws, to consider the ruptures of some interconnections

Could then study:

• All types of human organizations, from families to world
• Planetary societies.
• Society of the neurons in the brain.
• Animal societies, i.e. vertebrae, and then insect.
• Biological, and then macro-physical concept.

Question

• Charles is a Belgian colonist in Africa.
• They were destructive, as they destroyed native traditional cultures, when there is nothing to replace them.
• We don't really design new systems: the systems will come back and re-emerge.
• e.g. trying to change culture.
• If working with people who are not convinced, then the system won't change.

• e.g. water is an interrelationship between hydrogen and oxygen, there's no interaction directly with the parts.
• Recycle your understanding of the system, to understand how it might change.
• If it can change in a direction in which you can apply power, you might be able to take action.
• However, you'll never be sure if you're right.