Welcome to this webinar with Professor Emeritus Ray Ison, talking about how we can transform human activity systems towards a more improved human-biosphere agriculture. The webinar is hosted by SLU Global and ELLS . Please register below for zoom-link.
Transforming human activity systems: towards an agriculture for improving human-biosphere relations | slu.se
Date: 17 March 2026
Time: 10:00 – 11:15
Language: English
Organiser: SLU Global
Co-organiser: ELLS
Location: Online
Author Archives: antlerboy - Benjamin P Taylor
Cameron Tonkinwise – Service Design & Social Complexity – The Complexity Lounge – Tuesday March 17, 7pm UK time
Cameron Tonkinwise – Service Design & Social Complexity, Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 3:00 PM | Meetup
Tuesday, Mar 17 · 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM GMT
Online event
Needs a link
Cameron Tonkinwise – Service Design & Social Complexity
Hosted by Jocko S.
A VSM governance tool and agricultural paradigm change for climate and ecology – Jenkinson (2026) (paywalled)
TECHNICAL PAPER| MARCH 06 2026
A VSM governance tool and agricultural paradigm change for climate and ecology | Kybernetes | Emerald Publishing
A VSM governance tool and agricultural paradigm change for climate and ecology
Angus Jenkinson
Author & Article Information
Kybernetes 1–25.
https://doi.org/10.1108/K-06-2025-1586
Article history
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Purpose
This study offers transformation pathways through the intersections of enterprise governance and farming in response to climate and ecological crises (COP21, COP28 et al.). The analysis further proposes Virtuoso as a novel integration capability for the Viable System Model (“VSM”), Stafford Beer’s systemic methodology for enterprise management (Beer, 1985; Jenkinson, 2022). It thereby contrasts farming models and their ways of seeing.
On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angusjenkinson_virtuoso-biodynamicfarming-fertilizers-activity-7437173834631442432-Hmq4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACuq-oBecVFDW6PCf3lkoG-peMeuLBeoho, Angus says:
Very happy to share this paper I just published about different farming models and their impact on nature and climate (A VSM governance tool and agricultural paradigm change for climate and ecology). it shows how this relates to ways of seeing the world and managing a company or enterprise. This features the VSM, the viable system model developed by Stafford Beer, whose centennial is this year. It takes a deep look at identity as the guiding star and model.
But what really excites me is its illustration of the immense potential the right kind of farming has. The key to the life and economic health of the farm is soil management and that depends on understanding how to cherish it so that it will support farmer, food, and future.
You see the future is very bleak if farming does not get its act fully together, so I am delighted to showcase genuine best practice in the case study. The featured farm is sequestering around ten times more carbon than it emits
https://lnkd.in/e5xsMMNq
Findings
Farming has radically altered the planetary biosphere (Ellis et al., 2010). The IC model is a major contributor to global climate and biodiversity challenges through its degenerative cycle of soil degradation, input dependency, and declining resilience (Montgomery, 2017, 39–40, 80–81). BD demonstrates that economically sound, mitigation and regeneration is possible, exceeding UN COP21 soil organic carbon (“SOC”) targets, a key indicator of climate change (Gantlett, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025). Virtuoso articulates their contrasting identities and operational logics, revealing latent potential for agriculture and the VSM.
Launch Event: What does it take to sustain place-based change? Renaisi-TSIP, 21 April 2026, London UK
Launch Event: What does it take to sustain place-based change? Tickets, Tuesday, Apr 21 from 11 am to 3 pm | Eventbrite
Follow
Coin Street Neighbourhood CentreLondon, England
Tuesday, Apr 21 from 11 am to 3 pm
Northeast Regional Conference on Complex Systems 2026 – on now!
ByNERCCS
University of RochesterRochester, NY
Wednesday, Mar 11 at 12 pm to Friday, Mar 13 at 12:30 pm
Weirdly, they stopped selling $15 onine tickets but program
And follow on twitter:
Cybernetic Praxis, Part II: Toward a Reconstruction of Construction – Wood (2026)
Project Consultant | Builder | Systems Thinker
Cybernetic Praxis, Part II: Toward a Reconstruction of Construction
(1) Cybernetic Praxis, Part II: Toward a Reconstruction of Construction | LinkedIn
Ben Wood, PMP
Project Consultant | Builder | Systems Thinker
How do we find the “why”? Vornov (2026)
Mindwalk – a film by Bernt Capra
Recommended as ‘the only film about systems thinking’ on LinkedIn…
MINDWALK – YouTube
ChatGPT says:
Mindwalk (1990) is an unusual film. It is almost entirely a long philosophical conversation rather than a conventional story. The director is Bernt Amadeus Capra, and the ideas come largely from his brother, physicist Fritjof Capra, especially the book The Turning Point (1982). (Wikipedia)
The film runs about 112 minutes and stars Liv Ullmann, Sam Waterston, and John Heard. It was filmed largely on location at Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, whose medieval architecture and tides serve as a kind of symbolic backdrop to the discussion. (Wikipedia)
The basic premise
Three people wander around the island and talk:
• Sonia Hoffman – a Norwegian physicist who left her research career after realising it was feeding weapons development.
• Jack Edwards – an American politician recovering from a failed presidential campaign.
• Thomas Harriman – a poet and former political speechwriter who is disillusioned with politics. (Wikipedia)
The entire film is essentially their walk and conversation. They move through cloisters, terraces, and courtyards while arguing about science, politics, ecology, economics, and culture.
The core idea
The film’s intellectual centre is systems thinking. Sonia argues that modern society still thinks in a mechanistic, reductionist way inherited from Newtonian science. Instead, she proposes a holistic or systems view, where ecological, social, technological, and economic processes are interconnected networks. (What’s After the Movie?)
So the conversation ranges across things like:
• quantum physics and uncertainty
• ecological limits and environmental damage
• how political decisions ripple through complex systems
• the relationship between science, ethics, and power
Rather than giving solutions, the film tries to shift the frame of thinking—from isolated problems to interacting systems. (What’s After the Movie?)
Style and structure
It’s basically a “conversation film”. The drama is intellectual rather than plot-driven. The closest comparisons are films like My Dinner with Andre or, later, Linklater’s dialogue films. Critics often note that the risk with such films is that characters become mouthpieces for ideas. (sensesofcinema.com)
To counter that, the film uses:
• the striking setting of Mont-Saint-Michel
• shifting camera compositions of the three characters
• poetry (including a reading of Neruda at the end)
These elements keep the film from becoming purely didactic.
Reception
Critics often say the same thing: it’s thoughtful but demanding. One review described it as an engaging but dialogue-heavy film that mostly appeals to viewers already sympathetic to its ecological and systems-thinking ideas. (Wikipedia)
Why it still gets talked about
Despite being small and somewhat obscure, Mindwalk became a cult favourite in intellectual and ecological circles because it tried to translate systems theory and modern physics into a human conversation about society.
For people interested in systems thinking, complexity, ecology, or the philosophy of science, it’s almost a cinematic essay rather than a typical film.
If you want, I can also explain the key systems ideas in the film (Capra’s worldview, deep ecology, network thinking, etc.). That’s really the heart of it.
Designing Freedom in the 21st Century – The Moral Modalities Framework (MMF) – Hilder (2026)
Feb 26, 2026
Designing Freedom in the 21st Century – 3
Designing Freedom in the 21st Century – 3
The Moral Modalities Framework (MMF)
TREVOR E HILDER
FEB 26, 2026
The Third System – Trevor E Hilder on substack – Designing Freedom in the 21st Century (2nd part) – Hilder (2026)
What functions are needed for a system to be viable?
Feb 17, 2026
The Third System
Designing Freedom in the 21st Century – 2
Designing Freedom in the 21st Century – 2
What functions are needed for a system to be viable?
TREVOR E HILDER
FEB 17, 2026
School of Systems Change hiring a Head of Systems Change Practice Partnerships – 08.FTE, £57.5k pro rata, permanent, deadline 22 March 2026, UK
At a glance
We’re excited to bring a new member to our team and network. As Head of Systems Change Practice Partnerships, you will join a team committed to embracing difference and nurturing a systemic, living paradigm, where learning is change.
Salary: £57,500- 61,750 pro rata per annum
Hours: 30 hours per week excluding lunch breaks (0.8 FTE).
Contract: This is a permanent contract. The notice period is three months in writing on either side. There is a probationary period of six months.
Location: London, UK. 22-26 Paul Street, EC2A 4QE, with opportunities for flexible working. Candidates must have a valid right to work in the country.
Benefits: Various opportunities for flexible working, generous time off policies, and other sector-competitive benefits.
hiring a Head of Systems Change Practice Partnerships
We’re hiring a Head of Systems Change Practice Partnerships! – School of System Change
At a glance
Job pack
Application process
At a glance
We’re excited to bring a new member to our team and network. As Head of Systems Change Practice Partnerships, you will join a team committed to embracing difference and nurturing a systemic, living paradigm, where learning is change.
Salary: £57,500- 61,750 pro rata per annum
Hours: 30 hours per week excluding lunch breaks (0.8 FTE).
Contract: This is a permanent contract. The notice period is three months in writing on either side. There is a probationary period of six months.
Location: London, UK. 22-26 Paul Street, EC2A 4QE, with opportunities for flexible working. Candidates must have a valid right to work in the country.
Benefits: Various opportunities for flexible working, generous time off policies, and other sector-competitive benefits.
SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP APPROACH TO HYPERLOCAL DEMOCRACY – Ferrier (2026)
19th February 2026
Andy Ferrier
Chief Executive, Test Valley Borough Council
Solace Deputy Spokesperson for Civil and Community Resilience.
Systems Leadership Approach to Hyperlocal Democracy | Solace
SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP APPROACH TO HYPERLOCAL DEMOCRACY
Constructivist Foundations Volume 20, Number 2, March 2025, Selected papers from the 60th Anniversary Meeting of the American Society for Cybernetics, “Living Cybernetics Playing Language”, edited by Claudia Westermann
Constructivist Foundations 20(2)
Volume 20, Number 2, March 2025
Selected papers from the 60th Anniversary Meeting of the American Society for Cybernetics, “Living Cybernetics Playing Language”, edited by Claudia Westermann
Cover Art: «Cybernetic Neoconstructivism #16» © 2025 Collaboration of the Art, Media, and Cybernetics (AMC) workgroup at the American Association of Cybernetics (ASC) AI-Generative Neoconstructivism
With a Voluntary Annual Subscription you can download the entire issue.
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Editorial
Conversations on Four Cybernetic Approaches to Embracing Uncertainty Free Access
Claudia Westermann
Abstract · Full text in PDF (223 kB)
Target Article – Second-Order Cybernetics
Cybernetics of Language – From Naming to Naming the Self
Louis H. Kauffman
Abstract
Open Peer Commentaries
The Unaccompanied Companion
Christina Weiss
Abstract
On Proper Names, Sense and Self-Reference
Clarence Lewis Protin
Abstract
Klein Bottle Logophysics, Metacognition, and Gödel’s Theorem
Diego Lucio Rapoport
Abstract
Bio-logic of the Name-Named-Namer Relationship
Andrey S. Druzhinin & Diego A. Ramírez
Abstract
Naming, Shifting, and Seeing the Cybernetic Observer
Arthur M. Collings
Abstract
Naming Naming
Mark William Johnson
Abstract
The Sound of Self-Reference
Kate Doyle
Abstract
Author’s Response: The Indicative Shift
Louis H. Kauffman
Abstract
Target Article – Second-Order Cybernetics
Brand Management as Cybernetic Practices Free Access
Seiichiro Honjo
Abstract · Full text in PDF (749 kB)
Open Peer Commentaries
Expanding Brand Management With Cybernetic Insights Free Access
Maia Gould
Abstract · Full text in PDF (486 kB)
A Citizen Perspective on Recent Manifestations of Branding Free Access
Allenna Leonard
Abstract · Full text in PDF (499 kB)
Using the VSM to Improve Exploratory Brand Management Free Access
Alfonso Reyes
Abstract · Full text in PDF (467 kB)
Second-order Branding as Orchestration of Media Ecology Free Access
Peter Hayward Jones
Abstract · Full text in PDF (487 kB)
Harnessing Variety Engineering for Management of Non-Trivial Systems Free Access
Juliana Mariano Alves
Abstract · Full text in PDF (505 kB)
Author’s Response: Toward Implementing Second-Order Brand Management Free Access
Seiichiro Honjo
Abstract · Full text in PDF (535 kB)
Target Article – Second-Order Cybernetics
Review of an Academic Research Project “as Done”
Guillermo Sánchez Sotés, Thomas Fischer & Christiane M. Herr
Abstract
Open Peer Commentaries
The Unknown, the Other – Companions in the Construction of Knowledge
José Cabral Filho
Abstract
On the Context of the Experience and the Context of Communication
Diego Fagundes da Silva & Erica Azevedo da Costa e Mattos
Abstract
Tracing the Messiness
Mark Valentine Sullivan
Abstract
Conversation as an Integral Part of “Research as Done”
Eve C. Pinsker
Abstract
Why Do Designers Overlook Discourse on Uncertainty, Complexity, and Messiness in Research?
Michael Hohl
Abstract
Authors’ Response: On and Beyond the Difference Between Research “as Done” and Research “as Reported”
Guillermo Sánchez Sotés, Thomas Fischer & Christiane M. Herr
Abstract
Target Article – Second-Order Cybernetics
Design of a Contemporary Elementary Non-Trivial Machine Free Access
Thomas Fischer & Hengjie Li
Abstract · Full text in PDF (1150 kB)
Open Peer Commentaries
Prospects for Demonstrating Multiple Versions of the Non-Trivial Machine
Laurence D. Richards
Abstract
The Non-Trivial Machine and Non-Trivial Constructivist Ideas
Hugh Gash
Abstract
Playing With Apparatuses: Cybernetic Learning and the Challenge of Contemporary Black Boxes
Mateus van Stralen
Abstract
The Ashby Box as Situated Object within Context
Vivian Xu & Benjamin Bacon
Abstract
Fostering Critical Inquiry through the Non-Trivial Machine: On Fischer and Li’s Reinterpretation of the Ashby Box
Anja Pratschke
Abstract
Is There a Future for Research in Cybernetics?
Tom Scholte
Abstract
Author’s Response: The Continuing Relevance of the Ashby Box and Its Successors
Thomas Fischer
Abstract
SCiO monthly events newsletter – March and April 2026
See website for updates https://www.systemspractice.org/events.
Please note that you are welcome to attend any event (allowing for restrictions on members-only events) so long as you speak and understand the language.
COURSES
One new course has been added this month in the Influencing Stakeholders range of intervention skills: Communicating your Systems Interventions by Steve Whitla. This is an extended version of 2h 24m plus exercises and is available for £100.
Please remember that All thirty-one courses now on the SCiO LMS are discounted 10% to members – use the discount code MEMBER10 when booking. The courses currently available are here.
Multi-course discounts: There is a discount of 20% for any four or more courses and 25% for considerably more. The full set of courses (including future additions) can be had with a 30% discount and this includes access to coaching.
Organisational Development Programmes: If your organisation is interested to use any or all of the courses, substantial discounts of around 50% are available and bespoke programmes can be prepared.
We hope to see you at the 2026 Conference: Systems Thinking Systems Practice, taking place at Hull University from 24–26 March 2026.
This three-day conference is bringing together practitioners, leaders, academics and system thinkers from across sectors to explore how systems thinking is being applied in practice to address today’s complex organisational, social and policy challenges. The programme will combine thought-provoking keynotes, practical case studies, and opportunities for dialogue, reflection and connection with others working systemically in real-world contexts.
The conference is organised by Hull University’s Centre for Systems Studies in partnership with SCiO, the OR Society and the IFSR, and will be of particular interest to those working in leadership, public services, healthcare, local government, voluntary and community sectors, and organisational development.
Booking: Places are available – book here.
The FULL PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME is now available here. The details of the sessions can be seen by clicking on the tiny tabs at the bottom. Alternatively access these through the Conference menu on our website.
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EVENTS – by country (click on the name)
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2026 Conference: Systems Thinking and Systems Practice – Hull
Tue, Mar 24th, 2026 – Thu, Mar 26th, 2026 11:30 – 14:30 GMT
For the first time ever, leading institutions representing a broad range of systems thinking methods and approaches are coming together for a landmark conference on Systems Thinking and Systems Practice.
This conference has been shaped with input from a wide-ranging committee, including members of the UK government’s Systems Thinking Interest Group (STIG) and the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR). It’s a unique chance to connect with others across the field, share different perspectives, and explore the future of systems practice…..
All welcome; £100 – £250; Hull University Business School, Hull HU6 7RX; English BOOK NOW
SCiO UK Virtual Development Event – April 2026
Tue, Apr 14th, 2026 13:00 – 15:00 GMT
SCiO’s Development Event offer an opportunity to draw upon the collective expertise of SCiO members in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. By taking Development Events online, using the Zoom meeting platform, we aim to make them accessible to more SCiO members. Development Events are both for members who are just starting out on a journey to explore Systems Thinking approaches, and for those who have many years of exploration and practice. This is a bring your issues of interest Development Event.
Members only; FREE; Online event; English BOOK NOW
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Tue, Mar 10th, 2026 19:00 – 21:00 CET
In een tijd waarin bedrijven steeds vaker worden aangesproken op hun sociale en ecologische impact, dringt één vraag zich steeds sterker op: Hoe maak je negatieve impact in je productieketen zichtbaar — en hoe neem je daar samen verantwoordelijkheid voor op?
Veel organisaties botsen op dezelfde uitdaging: elke speler vertrekt vanuit zijn eigen noden, rol en beperkingen. Hoe kan je dan tóch systemisch denken en handelen in een complexe ketenomgeving?
Tijdens deze sessie delen Saartje Boutsen en Charlotte Vandierendonck, co-oprichters van Studio D, hun pragmatische aanpak om ketenverantwoordelijkheid werkbaar en gedragen te maken. Vanuit hun ervaring met bedrijven en organisaties reiken ze inzichten, tips en concrete handvaten aan om het gesprek en de samenwerking in de keten op gang te brengen en duurzaam te verankeren….
Members only + guests; 10 euro; Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium; Dutch BOOK NOW
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SCiO DACH (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz)
Entwicklung von Komplexität sowie Arbeits- und Prozessleistung im projektbasierten Maschinenbau
Thu, Apr 23rd, 2026 19:00 – 20:30 CET+1
Zwischenergebnisse einer laufenden Dissertation zur Messbarkeit organisationaler Komplexität im industriellen Umfeld. Im Fokus: Wie nehmen operative Führungskräfte steigende Komplexität wahr – und inwieweit lässt sich diese Wahrnehmung datenbasiert im Unternehmen abbilden? Ein praxisnaher Einblick in erste Befunde, methodisches Vorgehen und weiterführende Forschungsfragen.
Entwicklung von Komplexität sowie Arbeits- und Prozessleistung im projektbasierten Maschinenbau – Carola Ritzinger-Roll
Members only + guests; kostenlos; Online event; German BOOK NOW
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Understanding and Achieving Systemic Governance: Lessons from Finland
Thu, Mar 26th, 2026 10:30 – 11:45 EET
We are at a critical juncture where traditional, hierarchical governance systems often struggle to navigate the complexities of the climate emergency and mounting social inequalities. You are cordially invited to a special webinar launch event hosted by SCiO Finland to explore the findings of a recent systemic co-inquiry: “Understanding and Achieving Systemic Governance: Lessons from Finland”. Finland is internationally recognised for its innovative “humble governance” and trust-based autonomy, yet these systemic approaches face significant challenges in becoming “sticky” within traditional bureaucratic structures. We will dive into…..
Understanding and Achieving Systemic Governance: Lessons from Finland – Ray Ison – Tim Logan
All welcome; Free; Online event; English BOOK NOW
Suorituskyvyn rajat – kun ”paras” ei enää riitä
Wed, Apr 1st, 2026 16:00 – 17:30 EEST
Organisaatiot ovat yhä suorituskykyisempiä. Ne optimoivat prosesseja, asettavat tavoitteita, seuraavat mittareita ja palkitsevat onnistumista. Nämä vahvuudet eivät kuitenkaan välttämättä takaa kestävää menestystä tai organisaation elinkelpoisuutta pitkällä aikavälillä. Esityksessä tarkastellaan suorituskykyä organisoivana logiikkana sekä sen rakenteellisia rajoja. Keskustelemme siitä, miten tavoitteilla johtaminen ja suorituskyvyn optimointi menettävät tehoaan ympäristöissä, joissa epälineaarisuus lisääntyy ja arviointikriteerit muuttuvat epävakaiksi, sekä siitä, kuinka nämä rajat usein tulkitaan toimeenpanon ongelmiksi sen sijaan, että kyseenalaistettaisiin taustalla olevia perusoletuksia. Esityksessä tehdään erottelu suorituskykylogiikan ja adaptiivisen logiikan välillä. Tarkoitus ei ole hylätä suorituskykyä, vaan paikantaa sen rajat – ja avata tilaa toisenlaiselle organisoinnin logiikalle.
Suorituskyvyn rajat – kun ”paras” ei enää riitä – Janne J. Korhonen
All welcome; Free; Online event; Finnish BOOK NOW
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Details of the 2026 programme not added yet.
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SCIO-NL monthly meeting March 2025 (live in Woerden and in Dutch)
Fri, Mar 6th, 2026 12:30 – 16:00 CET
SCIO-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, meestal in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan (meestal) geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor KNVI-leden. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.
NL Members + guests; FREE; Pelmolenlaan 2, Woerden (At the Office) 5, Woerden, Netherlands; Dutch BOOK NOW
SCIO-NL monthly meeting April 2025 (live in Woerden and in Dutch)
Fri, Apr 3rd, 2026 12:30 – 16:00 CET
SCIO-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, meestal in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan (meestal) geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor KNVI-leden. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.
NL Members + guests; FREE; Pelmolenlaan 2, Woerden (At the Office) 5, Woerden, Netherlands; Dutch BOOK NOW
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“Jakościowa Teoria Informacji – Marian Mazur”
Thu, Mar 19th, 2026 18:00 – 19:30 CET
W ramach omówienia Jakościowej Teorii Informacji Mariana Mazura przyjrzymy się:
- problemom na które natrafił Mazur przy poszukiwaniu definicji informacji,
- co zdefiniował jako komunikat, oryginał, obraz, kod, łańcuch kodowy i informację,
- przypadkom teoretycznym kiedy łańcuchy kodowe są nieoddzielnie lub niezupełne
- praktycznym konsekwencjom i praktycznemu wykorzystaniu JTI.
All welcome; FREE; Online event; Polish BOOK NOW
Complexity Miscellany for Beginners: Part III – Diaz (2026)
“We see with the eyes, but we see with the brain as well, and seeing with the brain is often called imagination.” —Oliver Sacks.
Posted Feb 13, 2026
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