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Neo-pragmatism: an ethical anticipatory system

Neo-pragmatism: an ethical anticipatory system

• August 2017
• European Journal of Futures Research 5(1)

• DOI: 10.1007/s40309-017-0112-x

• License CC BY

• John Vodonick

• February 2007

Abstract

In 1906 and 1907 William James delivered a series of lectures in Boston and New York. Those lectures later were distilled into a paper entitled PRAGMATISM A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking. In 1972 Robert Rosen began to develop the model that resulted in the publication of his breakthrough work Anticipatory Systems. Seven years later, with the publication of Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature Richard Rorty began to develop the interpretation of Pragmatism, which has come to be known as neo-Pragmatism. The theory of anticipatory systems as articulated by Robert Rosen argues that the activity of anticipation occurs through the encoding of models of the future and so, a deciduous tree will lose its leaves upon the shortening of daylight—an environmentally neutral event—which is the precursor to winter. The tree anticipates (through the process of encoding its environmental cycle) the coming of winter and diverts sap, its lifeblood, underground to its roots and essentially hibernates during the cold time. Rosen shows that this quality of anticipation can be said to be the defining element of all life. Ethics are models that encode our values and operate upon the contingencies of the past in the adjudicatory function or the possible contingencies of the future in the heuristic function. Of all the mainstream ethical models pragmatism is the only approach that expressly acknowledges that the results of our decisions may either conflict with or harmonize with our values. The form of pragmatism known as neo-pragmatism looks to the communicative justification of our past or future actions in relationship to our values to determine whether they are good or bad. In this sense neo-pragmatism constitutes moral anticipation, as much encoded in human society as the dropping of leaves is encoded in a deciduous tree

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Neo-pragmatism: an ethical anticipatory system

I remember asking Laloux about the role of the ‘leader’ many years ago; it strongly reminds me of the classic systems ‘triangles’ game we learned from Nick Obolensky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41QKeKQ2O3E&t=1s

The classic question from this ‘self organising’ game is ‘who was the leader?’ and the expected answer is ‘there was no leader!’ with the insight ‘there’s no need for leaders!’ – except the event organiser gives very clear instructions and sets the rules of self-organisation; just as in any agent-based modelling, the control mechanism is the rules…

I also note that, as an archetypal ‘leader’, Jos de Blok is really interesting and potentially really problematic.

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Resolving the awkward paradox in Frederic Laloux’s Reinventing Organisations | by Tom Nixon | Maptio | Medium

Tom NixonFollowingApr 14, 2015 · 9 min read

Update: This article has been shared widely in the Reinventing Organisations community. I have made a few small revisions, and added comments directly from Frederic at the end.

▶︎ Want to delve deeper? Sign up for my two-hour live online workshop.

We spoke to 500 founders about how big ideas get realised (or not.) Here’s what we learned

This article is based on research by Peter Koenig. Charles Davies has also been instrumental in developing the ideas here.

The confession

Over dinner in Brussels, I confessed to Frederic Laloux that his best-selling book Reinventing Organisations was the very best business book I’d ever read that I couldn’t quite bring myself to recommend to others. There was something going on for me, where the stories in the book didn’t seem to match the conclusions.

When I met Frederic, I was hugely inspired, and we found tremendous common ground. Yet we couldn’t get completely on the same page. Perhaps that’s OK. After all, there isn’t necessarily only one ‘truth’ in the world. But I’ve spent some time reflecting on it and I think I’ve made some progress. I’m sharing this in the hope it’ll be useful to Frederic and others who, like me, are hugely inspired by his work. With this article as an addendum, I’d strongly recommend the book to anyone. And I’d welcome feedback to further the dialogue.

continues in source:

Resolving the awkward paradox in Frederic Laloux’s Reinventing Organisations | by Tom Nixon | Maptio | Medium

very good

Hilton L. Root, “Network Origins of the Global Economy: East vs. West in a Complex Systems Perspective” (Cambridge UP, 2020) — New Books in Systems and Cybernetics — Overcast

Hilton L. Root

Jan 18, 2021

Network Origins of the Global Economy

East vs. West in a Complex Systems Perspective

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS 2020

Twenty-eight years after Francis Fukuyama declared the “end of history” and pronounced Western-style liberalism as the culmination of a Hegelian narrative of progress, pundits and academics of all stripes find themselves struggling to explain the failed prediction that China’s increased activity in international markets would inevitably lead to increasing political and social liberalization in that country. 

With his ground-breaking book, Network Origins of the Global Economy: East vs. West in a Complex Systems Perspective, out from Cambridge University Press in 2020, Hilton L. Root takes a road less-traveled in contemporary economics and brings the analytical tools of systems theory to bear on this perplexing question, believing that a study of network structure might be able to shed more light than the traditional tools of economic analysis. This clearly argued and eminently readable book accounts for much of the current state of affairs by tracing the contrasting historical evolution of Europe as a Small World Network constituted by the dense connectivity of dynastic marriages between the continent’s royal houses, and China as a Hub and Spoke Network with communications flowing outward through the branches of its vast and robustly structured bureaucracy from a primary central node. Other networked social factors under consideration are the development of Europe’s blend of Germanic custom and Roman law, and China’s tradition of the ideal Confucian gentleman and its deep commitment to merit rather than birthright as the condition for ascending the ranks of administrative power structures. Emerging from this thoughtful and well-researched study is a compelling explanatory narrative of Europe’s ongoing capacity to adapt to rapid change and China’s pattern of long stretches of stability, sudden collapse, and subsequent resurrection of largely unchanged network structure. This adventurous scholarly work simultaneously opens new theoretical doors for economists and provides systems scholars with access to new dimensions of application.

Tom Scholte is a Professor of Directing and Acting in the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of British Columbia located on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of the Musqueam people.https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=NBN6315954019

Listen to more episodes on:

• Systems and Cybernetics

New Books in Systems and Cybernetics Hilton L. Root, “Network Origins of the Global Economy: East vs. West in a Complex Systems Perspective” (Cambridge UP, 2020) January 18, 2021

Hilton L. Root, “Network Origins of the Global Economy: East vs. West in a Complex Systems Perspective” (Cambridge UP, 2020) — New Books in Systems and Cybernetics — Overcast

book at source:

Systems Thinking Ontario – 2021-03-08

2021-03-08

March 8 (the second Monday of the month) is the 88th meeting for Systems Thinking Ontario. The registration is on Eventbrite at https://systems-literacy.eventbrite.ca.

Coexploring Systems Literacy

Literacy has been proposed as an understanding of a small number of pervasive principles appropriate to making informed personal and societal decisions.

• Systems literacy includes an understanding of systems that influence you, and your influence on systems.

Peter Tuddenham has been leading an initiative on Systems Literacy across a variety of systems organizations, particularly with the International Society for the Systems Sciences, where he was president (2018-2019).

• Ongoing development builds on previous work facilitated and/or contributed by the College of Exploration, combined with many systems educations programs around the world.

In addition to this conversation, Systems Thinking Ontario members are invited to join the CoExplorer Cafe and Pub that runs on the first Fridays of the month, 3pm to 6pm ET.

• The virtual meeting will happen on Friday, March 5, before the next Systems Thinking Ontario meeting.

This March session of Systems Thinking Ontario will be moderated by Zaid Khan.

• Thanks to Dan Eng for providing us with Zoom facilities.

Venue:

• The link for a Zoom conference will be sent upon preregistration.
• Unfortunately, due to the pandemic OCADU, sLab (Strategic Innovation Lab), 205 Richmond Street West, Room 410 is not available!

Suggested pre-reading:

Formally, there was an article written that explained the aims of the Systems Literacy initiative, from 2016-2017.

• Tuddenham, Peter. 2017. “Observations on Systems Literacy at the International Society for Systems Sciences (ISSS) 2016 Conference.” Systems Research and Behavioral Science 34 (5): 625–30. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2491.
  • See the blog digest of the presentation at ISSS 2016.

Open access versions of papers by Peter D. Tuddenham may be available on his ResearchGate page f and/or his Academia.edu page.

Agenda

https://www.gstatic.com/atari/embeds/5de913a2354e93acf4d43c4db53928e5/intermediate-frame-minified.html?jsh=m%3B%2F_%2Fscs%2Fapps-static%2F_%2Fjs%2Fk%3Doz.gapi.en_GB.sedaY3Dv4HE.O%2Fam%3DwQE%2Fd%3D1%2Fct%3Dzgms%2Frs%3DAGLTcCO2t4glYwUJ-eH43TAA_offcn6l6Q%2Fm%3D__features__&r=304886563

Post-meeting artifacts

Bloggers are encouraged to write about their learning and experiences at the meeting. Links will be added to this page.

2021-03-08 March 8 (the second Monday of the month) is the 88th meeting for Systems Thinking Ontario. The registration is on Eventbrite at https://systems-literacy.eventbrite.ca. Coexploring Systems Literacy

Systems Thinking Ontario – 2021-03-08

7 Differences between complex and complicated Sonja Blignaut Following Aug 19, 2019 · 7 min read

7 Differences between complex and complicated | by Sonja Blignaut | Noteworthy – The Journal Blog

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Using ‘Systems Thinking’ To Make Sense Of The World, From Pandemics To Politics | On Point

Using ‘Systems Thinking’ To Make Sense Of The World, From Pandemics To Politics47:22

Play

February 25, 2021

• Hilary McQuilkin
• Meghna Chakrabarti

To solve a puzzle, you never just look at one piece of it. So why do we try to tackle the most complex problems of modern life in such a piecemeal fashion?
From pandemics to politics, we discuss whether shifting to so-called “systems thinking” unlock hidden solutions to the world’s biggest problems. 

Zeynep Tufekci, associate professor at the UNC School of Information and Library Science. Author of the Insight newsletter. (@zeynep)

From The Reading List

New York Times: “To Understand This Era, You Need to Think in Systems” — “So as a million media theorists before me have argued, in a few short decades, or depending on how you want to rate it, a few centuries, we’ve moved from the defining problem of human civilization being information scarcity.”

The Hill: “Systems Thinking — the new American idea” — “Systems Thinking is a somewhat vague concept, but one that is getting increased attention thanks to the news about coronavirus. The premise is simple, but putting Systems Thinking into practice can be challenging, especially for individualistic-minded Americans.”

Get up to speed on the local coronavirus outbreak and other news Boston is talking about. Add our daily newsletter to your morning routine. Sign up now.

The Atlantic: “It Wasn’t Just Trump Who Got It Wrong” — “Many will be tempted to see the tragic coronavirus pandemic through a solely partisan lens: The Trump administration spectacularly failed in its response, by cutting funding from essential health services and research before the crisis, and later by denying its existence and its severity.”

New York Times: “How Zeynep Tufekci Keeps Getting the Big Things Right” — “When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans in January that they didn’t need to wear masks, Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar, a professor at the Mayo Clinic and the editor of the Blood Cancer Journal, couldn’t believe his ears.”

The Atlantic: “America’s Next Authoritarian Will Be Much More Competent” — “Now that Joe Biden has won the presidency, we can expect debates over whether Donald Trump was an aberration (‘not who we are!’) or another instantiation of America’s pathologies and sins.”

This program aired on February 25, 2021.

source:

Using ‘Systems Thinking’ To Make Sense Of The World, From Pandemics To Politics | On Point

Complex systems and wicked problems – Thea Snow 133 views•Streamed live on 24 Feb 2021 4 0 SHARE SAVE Design for Impact 94 subscribers SUBSCRIBED In this session, Thea Snow spoke to us about the Cynefin framework and how to apply systems thinking in practical ways. If you want to be part of the next session, come and join us! https://www.designforimpact.co/​​ SHOW LESS

Complex systems and wicked problems – Thea Snow – YouTube

Should be good for systems mapping (maybe some systems dynamics) and that sort of ‘systems change’ (social activism, peacebuilding, philanthropic sort of perspective).

Systems Practice

Systems Practice

Learn to use a systems thinking approach to move from “impossible” to impact

Free May 11, 2021 11 weeks Enroll Now

Learn How To

Map a complex system to gain clarity

Identify specific points in the system where you can make a big impact

Create leverage hypotheses to describe how you will aim to create systemic change

Develop a framework for learning and adapting over time as your system changes

Learn For Free

New courses at no cost—made available every month.

Change Your View Of The World

Draw inspiration from thought-provoking readings, videos, and reflections.

Gain Diverse Perspectives

Learn with a team that brings different experiences and thinking to the table.

Receive A Certificate Of Recognition

Attain a “Statement of Accomplishment” recognizing your successful completion of a course.

T

his is the best approach for solving complex problems I’ve ever seen.

Jakub

Course Syllabus

01

LEARNING TOOLS

35 instructional videos featuring Rob Ricigliano, The Systems and Complexity coach for The Omidyar Group

A 94-page Systems Practice workbook produced by The Omidyar Group and Daylight Design

7 workshop guides that break down each stage of a Systems Practice

7 reading guides featuring in-depth case studies Free access to the Kumu.io platform for systems mapping for course participants

02

SECTION 1: WHAT IS SYSTEMS PRACTICE?

03

SECTION 2: SET A GUIDING STAR AND NEAR STAR FOR YOUR SYSTEM

Video: Systems Thinking Mindsets

Video: Setting Goals for Systems Change

Video: Examples of Guiding Stars, Near Stars, and Framing Questions

Reading 2: Systems Practice in Action with Case Studies

Activity: Developing Your Guiding Star and Near Star

04

SECTION 3: EXPLORE FORCES IN YOUR SYSTEM

Video: Explore the Forces in your System

Video: Enablers and Inhibitors

Video: Upstream and Downstream Effects

Video: Structural, Attitudinal and Transactional Forces

Reading: Explore Forces in Your System

Activity: SAT Analysis

05

SECTION 4: BUILD LOOPS AND DISCOVER THE DEEP STRUCTURE

Video: Tell the Story of Your Loops

Video: Uncover the Deep Structure

Video: Examples of Uncovering Your Deep Structure

Video: Big Picture Reminder: Why Use Systems Practice?

Reading: Uncover the Story of Your System

Activity: Create Loops

Activity: Discover the Deep Structure

06

SECTION 5: MAP YOUR SYSTEM

Video: Build Your Map

Video: Avoid Getting Stuck

Video: Craft Your Systems Narrative

Video: Socialize Your Map

Reading: Map Your System

Activity: Build Your Map

Activity: Craft Your Narrative

Activity: Socialize and Iterate Your Map

07

SECTION 6: FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEVERAGE

Video: Discover Opportunities for Leverage

Video: Tips for Finding Opportunities for Leverage

Video: Develop Leverage Hypotheses

Reading: Find Opportunities for Leverage

Activity: Develop a Systemic Problem Statement

Activity: Find Opportunities for Leverage

Activity: Articulate Leverage Hypotheses

08

SECTION 7: BUILD A SYSTEMS STRATEGY

Video: How to Pick the Right Leverage Hypotheses

Video: Fast and Slow Variables

Video: Scaffold Your Learning

Video: 4 Drivers of Success in the Systems World

Video: Adapt Quickly

Video: Parting Words from Rob

Reading: Build a Systems Strategy

Activity: Evaluate Fit

Activity: Maximize Potential for Leverage

Activity: Develop Key Performance Questions

Activity: Learn from the System

Course Description

With so many interconnected forces at play in our complex world, it’s easy to get discouraged by detours or dead ends when striving to create enduring change. Systems Practice is a way to make sense of complex environments and uncover the dynamics that have the greatest potential for impact.

This course will lead you through each step of understanding a system, analyzing it to find points of leverage, and learning how to adapt in a changing environment. You will also gain a portfolio of step-by-step tools, processes, and mindsets to apply to your current and future work.

Systems Practice Learn to use a systems thinking approach to move from “impossible” to impact Master Innovation Free May 11, 2021 11 Weeks

Systems Practice

Adam is a brilliant systems explainer, a consultant, and happily shares a lot of his conceptual background with me (Viable Systems, particularly a focus here, Systems Leadership Theory (Macdonald et al), Barry Oshry’s power+systems approach and a background in lean with some agile – he also draws from Theory of Constraints (and no doubt many others)

His regular updates and videos are well worth following:

https://zenorganisations.com/

videos directly here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdnbhf4icwDsjhYAD4HyNBQ/videos

main page: https://syspractice.com/

about us: https://syspractice.com/#aboutus

Blog – Systems Practice

Thinking in Systems: a Primer

Posted on February 17, 2021

Thinking in Systems is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem-solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global.[…]Posted in Books, ResourcesTagged book, systems practice, systems thinking0 Comments

Kumu – Systems Mapping

Posted on February 17, 2021

Kumu is an analytics and visualization platform that creates interactive relationship maps. It can be used to summarise complex datasets with dozens of variables in a visually simple map.[…]Posted in Platform, ResourcesLeave a comment

Systems Practice?

Posted on February 17, 2021

I don’t know about you, but every time I’m asked what it is that I do or “What the heck is Systems Practice?” I actually tell them!

Most people respond “Uhhh?” In this article I’ll share a choice selection of short answers to this question by others, far more famous than myself to see how they explained it

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Blog – Systems Practice