Professional Documents
Culture Documents
environment
minerals
water
timber
education
shelter
A sustainable
social system
values
community
clothing
food
fiber
fuel
soil
if they behave the same way the system does under similar
circumstances
if there are leverage points that can be used to move a system
in a desired direction of behavior
What Is Sustainability?
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Additional Principles
Not a system
flows not
processed
A system
no or few
interconnections
interconnections
no boundary
inputs and
outputs
boundary
Definitional Problem
* Gregory Bateson, (1972). Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and
Epistemology. University Of Chicago Press.
Movement
Ethereal
Transfers
Stores
Reveals
Constructed in
Matter
Knowledge
Influences
Information
Energy
Forces
Dark
Matter
Quantum
Uncertainty
Generates
Dark
Energy
Quantum
Weirdness
Stores
Structure
Largest
Human
Scale
Smallest
The Physical
The Ethereal
Structure
Movement
Scale
The four aspects are discerned at all scales of time and space
At the largest scales of space and time the Universe is ruled by
the forces of gravity (dark matter) and dark energy
At the smallest scales of space and time the Universe is ruled
by quantum effects
Uncertainty
Weirdness
subsystems
outputs
inputs
larger
system
inputs
outputs
decomposed node
State Changes
State Spaces
Phase Spaces
ik
time
outputs inputs
outputs inputs
inputs
oj
System
of
interest
t0
At each interval of
time (e.g. t = t1- t0)
the parameters and
outputs will be altered
by the inputs.
pl
pl
pl
ik
oj
System
of
interest
sn
so
t1
ik
outputs
oj
System
of
interest
t2
sp
state
input = x
output
sn
sr
transition to
input x
sq
sp
so
Causal Relations
P=y
agent: system of
interest
temporal scale
radius of
perception
radius
of
hidden
causal
chains
nouns objects
verbs actions
modifiers descriptors, temporal, quantifiers, etc.
how symbols can be combined to convey thoughts
Semantics Meaning
Pragmatics Context
process object
sink
Flows
Forces
low entropy
material flow
repulsion
high entropy
material flow
stock
System Dynamics
Language Lexicon
Semantic Objects
Flow Operators
actuator
resistor
attraction
high potential
energy flow
low potential
energy flow
(heat)
message flow
flow control
Message Modulators
difference
A
diode
join
split
stock level and flow sensors
comparator
labor
manufacturing
shipping
customer
parts
parts
supplier
production
reports
parts
requirements
inventory
management
production
management
production
schedule
product
requirements
manufacturing
Adding Details
parts orders
sales
management
assembly kit
order
shipping
orders
waste
suppliers
product
inventory
parts
inventory
material losses
customers
}
labor {
type: human;
range: 6 to 8 hrs/person;
}
:
: // etc.
}
output product_count;
}
Sub-process: ProductionManagement {
inputs: product_inventory, sales;
function: product_inventory {
if product_inventory > 0 then {
output product_unit;
product_inventory = product_inventory 1;
Thinking Systemically
End of Part I
Principles 5 12 in Part II