[ba-ohs-talk] Fwd: [PORT-L] Nadin on Anticipation
It seems to me that the significance of this talk on anticipation goes back
to important aspects of holistic thinking. Earlier, if memory is rightly,
Peter Jones asked about chaos and other forms of inquiry. That chaos deals
with feedback systems, that's one aspect of holistic thinking. Robert
Rosen wrote the book _Anticipatory Systems_ and later the book _Life
Itself_, in which he applies Category Theory to an approach to thinking
that he calls Relational Biology. The following talk, and any entailments
you can find with google might yield a useful perspective on holistic
thinking, particularly as relates to applying that brand of thinking to the
evolution of an OHS. (01)
>From: Mary Keeler <mkeeler@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
>To: PORT-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
>
>Mihai Nadin is back in the US, this time as a visiting professor at
>Berkeley, where some of you might catch his lecture this week:
>
>"The End is Where We Start From."
>
>http://buffy.eecs.berkeley.edu/Seminars/2002/Apr/020418.nadin.html
>
>April 18, 2002
>320 Soda Hall
>4:00-5:30pm
>
>"Anticipation: Why is it a subject of research? Anticipation occurs in all
>spheres of life. It complements the physics of reaction with the
>pro-active quality of the living. Nature evolves in a continuous
>anticipatory fashion targeted at survival. The dynamics of stem cells
>demonstrate this mechanism. Through entailment from a basic stem cell an
>infinite variety of biological expression becomes possible. Sometimes we
>humans are aware of anticipation, as when we plan. Often, we are not aware
>of it, as when processes embedded in our body and mind take place before
>we realize their finality. In tennis, for example, the return of a
>professional serve can be successful only through anticipatory mechanisms.
>A conscious reaction takes too long to process. Anticipation is the engine
>driving the stock market. Creativity in art and design are fired by
>anticipation. "The end is where we start from," T. S. Eliot once wrote.
>Before the archer draws his bow, his mind has already hit the target.
>Motivation mechanisms in learning, the arts, and all types of research are
>dominated by the underlying principle that a future state--the
>result--controls present action, aimed at success. The entire subject of
>prevention entails anticipatory mechanisms."
>
>Mihai has attempted an overview of work on anticipation (including that of
>Rosen, Dennett, and others) in twelve definitions, which he states as
>working hypotheses. His project includes three forms together: BOOK,
>DVD, and WEB (as repository and dynamic forum--a portal for a knowledge
>community). See http://www.anticipation.info
>
>for an account of his latest work. Congratulations, Mihai! --MK
>
>____________________________________________________________
>Prof. Dr. Mihai Nadin, Visiting Scholar, University of California at Berkeley
>Berkeley Initiative in Soft Computing (BISC), Computer Science Department
>199 MF Cory Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720--1776, Telephone: 510.643.4523
>www.code.uni-wuppertal.de, www.anticipation.info (02)