Deconstructing the problem of comparing the conflicting imperatives of sustainability and technology [John van Gigch, ISSS 1998 Plenary Session, July 23/98]

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).

John van Gigch, professor emeritus, Cal State U., Sacramento

• Talk is about: Incompatibility between the concepts of technology and sustainability

• Imperatives are in conflict.
• How can they be reconciled?

• Too many diverse issues, and thus an expert in none.
• This may be its strength.
• A system scientist is an epistemologist, expert in modeling and metamodeling, not in technology.
• Once the framework is set, scientists and engineers can then discuss technology and sustainability.

• Technology is the art of utilizing knowledge which originates in the science(s) to develop practical applications beneficial to humankind.
• Sustainability: Concept, usually associated with term "Sustainable Development", which is defined as a form of development or progress that ..
• meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need.
• [Definition from World Commission, 1997, U.N.)

• Breaking problem down into its component parts.
• Understand stakeholders
• Formulate a definition which can be applied.

• A pragmatic rule which expresses the objective necessity of an action ...
• An obligation or a demand
• Must categorize imperatives
• 2 kinds of imperatives (Kant)
• Categorical imperative: a duty, or "perfect"
1. Ethical imperative
2. Aesthetic imperative
• Conditional Imperative: empirical, subject, conditional, and utilitarian
1. Management
2. Economic
3. Scientific
4. Strategic
5. Political
6. Legal
7. Epistemological
• Look at sustainability in light of each of these imperatives.

• Management imperative driven by organizational survivability or viability
• Economic imperative driven by costs and benefits.
• Scientific imperative driven by scientific rigour.
• Legal imperative driven by demand of legal conduct, i.e. have to follow laws.
• Political imperative driven by power and influence
• Epistemological imperative driven by rationality an logical
• Ethical imperative driven by moral behavior
• Aesthetic imperative driven by beauty (which brings us to West Churchman)

• Technology drives growth; sustainable development is controlled growth.
• Thus, opposition in values when talking to managers.

• Economists look at costs and benefits
• Start from economic survival, then reward capital as cost and benefits.
• Is NAFTA helping progress in Mexico?
• Have to reach a steady-state economy
• Central concept must be the stock of wealth, not the flow of income and consumption, be maintained.
• Thus, we have the wrong objective: not economic growth, but maintaining the stock of wealth as constant.
• Not maximizing consumption, and minimizing costs.
• Stock of virgin forest, clean air, clean water, culture.

• Discussed yesterday by Odum and Burkhardt.
• Processes are out of control, and can't be sustained.
• System science can provide the framework, but need many conferences to discuss.

• How can we draw laws and regulations to support sustainability?

• Discussed yesterday: Do we have the political will to get the job of sustainability done?
• Democracy, and peace/war (Rapoport).

• System theorists should focus here.
• Provide foundations to technologists, or economists.

• Discussed yesterday: de Raadt on ethics and spirituality.
• Demand and obligation of sustainability is to ensure a stock of wealth is available to future generations.

• Mentioned implicitly in talks, but a favourite of Churchman as the ultimate good.
• Not just going to see Rembrandt, also a clean forest, a clean brook, a clean and sustainable community.

• Have to find a solution that satisfies all of these imperatives at the same time.

• As citizens and parents, also have to align towards the imperatives.