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Glossary
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Three D
3D Optimum
the Systemic Goal
|
The pinnacle goal of the
BPG processes is to eventually reduce human activity until it can be
sustained within the Gaian renewing flows of nature. When this occurs, 3 Dimensions
of human interest will be at either their optimum state or the optimum
rate of change toward that state.
The 3D-Optimums refer to human: population; activity and happiness. While evaluation of each of these
dimensions is subjective, scientific and statistical guidance will
arbitrate.
3D-Optimum is the goal of
the overall system of human civilization.
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Pareto
Principle
80/20
guideline
|
When stating that, under
these circumstances, people will do that. Generally, the 80/20 rules suggests
that only 80% will do that, and
the remaining 20% will not do that.
However, the dividing line is fuzzy with sometimes a wide range of
overlapping views. It might be 99%
to 1% on some characteristics. It
applies to both physical and mental characteristics. Quite often these
variations are expressed as a bell curve, with the “80” representing
those within the bulk of bell, with the 20 being those at the skirt. See:
http://www.linfo.org/human_variability.html.
Social psychologist Milgrams
illustrates this point when he wrote: “We are puppets controlled by the strings of society. Yet what is
also true is that not all puppets jump when their strings are pulled.”
This is one of the genetic variations within species
that enables evolutionary change.
As the Pareto
Principle, it covers a very wide spectrum of issues.
http://www.businessballs.com/pareto-principle-80-20-rule.htm
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Abstract Realities
AbReality
Reification
|
Abstract Realities. Human created systems of beliefs and of
agreed ways of doing things: constitutions, economics, religions,
corporations, etc. Gregory Bateson
described in illuminating detail, the meaning of this in his ‘79 book, Mind and Nature. Details at http://gaiapc.ca/PJ/2a-TheTriad.pdf
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APC
BPC
|
After Paradigm Change: In the new era the
dynamic society. The time of PC was in 20??: The environing chapters refer to 050APC 50 years
APC. These expressions are used in
the backcast section of the chapters on envisioning.
BPC = Before
Paradigm Change – As spoken from
backcast – times before paradigm change, before 20??.
, or now.
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Bottoming-out
|
This term is sometimes used in
addiction recovery programs. It
means the point of despair at which an addict finally abandons denial and
avoidance – major personal change is now seen as a do-or-die issue. Our context refers an individual’s
finally acceptance that industrial civilization’s addiction to growth in
human activity will bring about collapse. See…
Growing numbers of individuals
and groups have already reached this point, but until the Blue Plane
Governance proposal we have had no common viable goal to support.
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Cassandra
Syndrome
|
Cassandra was a Greek Goddess: The Cassandra
metaphor (sometimes called “the Cassandra 'syndrome”). Cassandra was blessed with vision to
know what the future holds: And she was also cursed because no one would
believe her. The expression is
sometimes used today when scientists give dire warnings but they are not
believed (or will not be accepted, or are avoided or denied for a wide
variety of reasons).
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Carrying
Capacity
CC
|
The maximum number that can be sustained indefinitely
within a specific bioregional system – or in the natural systems of
planet Earth. When population is
in excess of CC, this is Overshoot –
below.
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Club Of Rome
…and
Limits To Growth
|
Club Of
Rome’s seminal ’72 book, Limits
To Growth, illustrated possible pathways into the future. We have followed their
business-as-usual projection that accurately civilization’s well-being
would be on down-slope that leads into collapse early in 21st
century.
The Smithsonian Magazine made a study of the graphic
projections in, Limits To Growth,
and extended the projections from 1970 into today. The old projections were remarkably
accurate as shown at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Looking-Back-on-the-Limits-of-Growth.html
Also see:
http://www.clubofrome.org/
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Compartment-alized mind
|
A term used by psychologists to describe our common
ability to time share conflicting realities. Sometimes we think and function in one
mode, sometimes the other.
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Complexity
Overload
|
When discussing a specific issue that may be
interactive with several other related issues (specialty subjects) one
will focus on those most familiar, and ignore the rest, even though they
may be more important.
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Conscious
Evolution
|
Expression used by Robert Ornstein indicating the
requisite next stage of evolution if we are to survive. Related to paradigm change, or epiphany
on a grand scale.
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Dynamic
System
Feedback
Stability
.....Goal
|
System: a group
or combination of interrelated, interdependent, or interacting elements
forming a collective entity; (see synergy)
In all cases energy flow is central to things
happening.
A regulatory system controls the flow using feedback
(plus or minus) in order to sustain the system output at optimum level.
A viable system has a goal.
System-runaway:
uncontrolled positive or negative feedback will drive a system to
limits.
Chapter 2b-Dynamic Systems is
devoted to systems and dynamics.
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Ecological
Footprint
|
Our ecological
footprint is a science/data based assessment of the
human impact on a geological area.
Globally, humans began exceeding Earth’s renewing bounty in the
1970s. (This may be optimistic)
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Economic Growth
...includes
both...
Population
&
Resources
|
Growth in both human population and resource
throughput translate into economic growth. Today’s paradigm, where growth must
increase every year, is today’s principle paradigm flaw. To expose the dilemma of exponential
growth at all levels of governance has been the 30 year quest of Dr. Al
Bartlett - http://www.albartlett.org
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Energy
Flow energy?
|
Energy is a very large subject, but only a couple
points are raised here. ~Energy
flow makes pretty much all things happen on our planet including the
living systems of Gaia and civilizations.
~The term “renewable energy” is a misnomer, because
the first Law of thermodynamics states that energy or matter can neither
be created nor destroyed.
However, it is widely used based on:
~A renewable
energy resource is from nature’s energy flows, therefore
replenish-able. Sun, wind,
geothermal, tidal are considered to be renewable.
This manual may uses flow-energy from time to time.
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ERoEI
|
Sometime called EROI, Energy Return on Energy
Investment.
http://www.energytrendsinsider.com/2008/03/05/understanding-eroei/
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Fatalist Denial
similar to
Group Denial
|
“Let us assume that a couple has a problem of
escalating debts. They both agree that their prodigal lifestyle is not
negotiable. Consequently, there is no practical solution to their
problem. As long as they acknowledge the problem, they incur the social
and psychological cost of avowal on top of the cost of the problem
itself. Not only do they have to service their debt, but they also must
acknowledge the uncomfortable fact that they are living beyond their
means. At some point, they silently agree to stop talking about their
escalating debts. They then feel much better. Their debts keep rising,
but instead of lamenting their predicament they have now swept it under
the carpet. Initially, this seems to work very well indeed. But over time
there is more and more fallout from their skyrocketing debts, and at some
point the entire situation is doomed to break down.
“The Figure expresses this pattern of “fatalist
denial” in formal terms. There is an escalating problem bound to break
down when the total cost resulting from the situation at any given moment
hits the tolerance limit. Because acknowledging the problem comes with
painful social and psychological cost, the total cost resulting from the
situation at any given moment is lower when people are in denial than
when they acknowledge the problem [cost denial (t) < cost avowal. It
is therefore attractive for people to enter denial at an early stage of
the escalation. Without denial, the tolerance limit would be reached at t2 . With denial, the tolerance limit is reached only
at t3 . Thus, denial reduces cost and buys
time.”
Copy from, Peak energy and climate change: the double bind of post-normal
science. Written by Jörg Friedrichs, published
in, the journal Futures.
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Footprint Loan
(FL)
|
(See Ch. 4e Wealth Factor Importance) As noted at http://www.footprintnetwork.org, we
recognize that human-activity is far beyond the carrying-capacity of our
small blue planet. Nevertheless,
in order to preserve civil order during the period of negative growth in human-activity, we will continue
to degrade the Gaian system. The
name, Footprint Loan is to act
as a continual reminder to individuals that our collective well-being
during the transitional decades – while we reduce gross human-activity –
will continue to degrade the Gaian systems of life that our children
inherit.
The Footprint Loan provides essential money per capita
to keep essential industry functional during change toward 3D-Optimum,
when the loan will be paid back. Details in 4e-DynamicFlows
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Gaia
|
The sun-energized interacting system of animal,
vegetable and mineral. Gaia was
the name of Goddess of the Earth in Greek mythology, coined for Earth’s
application by James Lovelock.
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Gaiacide
|
Gaiacide
is the inevitable outcome of the human predicament if we do not
bottom-out, collectively, and consciously evolve toward development of
new and practical goals for humanity.
Of course we will not kill Gaia, but may extinguish humanity and
an ever growing number of fellow specie.
The term ecocide is now used by
lawyer Polly Higgins who has a campaign to make ecocide a punishable
criminal offence.
http://eradicatingecocide.com/
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Gaian System
|
Any dynamic system that humans had nothing to do
with. Systems of Gaia, include weather and biological system ranging
from cells to internal organs and animals. Gaian Systems are distinct from human
created systems (cars, computers, quality-assurance, etc.) but similar
principles of dynamics interactions apply to all.
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Golden Rule
|
Recent meaning: Those with the gold get to rule
Original meaning: Treat others as you
want to be treated
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Governance
|
Wiki: “Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that
define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It
consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership
processes. These processes and systems are typically administered by a
government.
“In the case of a business or of a non-profit organisation, governance relates to consistent
management, cohesive policies, guidance, processes and decision-rights
for a given area of responsibility. For example, managing at a corporate
level might involve evolving policies on privacy, on internal investment,
and on the use of data.”
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Homeostasis
VS
Equilibrium
|
In terms of dynamic systems, homeostasis is not the same thing as equilibrium. For
example, a human being is a complex system. When you are alive but at rest, you are
in homeostasis. If you are in
equilibrium you are dead.
Homeostasis is a dynamical equilibrium of forces. Another example: When your home furnace
is functional, but
not running, it is in homeostasis.
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Human
Predicament
|
This is the expression used in the Club Of Rome’s ’72,
Limits To Growth. It refers to humanity’s current
pathways and obsolete beliefs that drive civilization toward Gaiacide.
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Human-Activity
|
This expression is used throughout this manual. It encompasses the idea that it is both
human population numbers and also our collective activities impact on the
Gaian system.
Today’s human-activity is significantly beyond
Carrying Capacity.
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Jevons Paradox
Observation of an 1865 economist
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The Jevons Paradox: any
increase in energy supply from any source or by any method, such as
improved efficiency, will cause the economy to grow; and this will
further increase the economy's energy demand.
With our current paradigm,
this is sometimes considered to be a “wicked problem” – a multi disciplinary issue wherein corrective action
would need to be taken in several regulatory jurisdictions, perhaps even
a constitutional amendment would be needed. The holistic dynamic nature of
Governance by Natural Processes (GNP) eliminates wicked problems such as Jeovns
Paradox.
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Mutual
Coercion
|
Mutual
Coercion by Mutual Agreement.
This was Garrett Hardin’s suggested formula for dealing with the, tragedy of the commons, as
described in his well-known essay by that name. It is a way of reaching consensus on a
thorny issue as an effective form of very local democracy. It may apply to as few as an agreed
protocol for two people sharing a common bathroom. [Kenith
Boulding]
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Optimum
Population
(OP)
|
The human population of a region that provides maximum
human well-being of present populations, and of future generations. OP will be somewhat below Regional
maximum CC (Carrying Capacity).
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Optimum
Human
Wealth
(OHW)
|
See Wealth below.
In the BPG context, OHW today is balanced with scientific and
economic measurements that result in regulatory control to guidance and
adjust human activity levels
toward 3D-O.
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Optimum
Rate of
change
|
Since it may take several decades to reach OHW, the
optimum amount of regulatory pressure will be delicate balance. All parameters will be continuously
measured and adjustments made. The
monetary system will be the primary regulatory control device – see
White’s Law below.
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Overshoot
(See Carrying
Capacity)
|
This is when a species population has grown beyond
Carrying Capacity (CC). When
caused by a rich niche food (energy) supply, a very large condition of
overgrowth can devastates the environment during die-off. While in overgrowth, the system’s
original CC may be drastically reduced to the point that the species may
become extinct.
http://davidmdelaney.com/overshoot-in-a-nutshell.html
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Paradigm
|
Webster Online dictionary defines this usage as
"a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or
discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the
experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly: a
philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.
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Paradigm
Paralysis
|
Paradigm Paralysis represents the difficulty in
changing a long held world view of how
things should be even though strong evidence indicates it would be
wise to change. This is related to
Tyranny of the Tools.
Further definition at http://gaiapc.ca/PJ/PJ-Overview-web.htm
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Peak-Oil
|
As illustrated in John How’s PPT, we will soon be on the
downslope of easily accessible oil with a reasonable EROEI. See
http://gaiapc.ca/PJ/HowePowerPointBW5.pdf
Also see:
http://www.percapitaoil.com/percapitaoil/index.html
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PerCapita
Dynamics
|
This
descriptive term describes a dynamic influence where total measured
regional wealth WF (Wealth Factors) will be expressed on a per capita
basis. I.e., the fewer people
there are in a region, the greater the wealth of each person, and vise versa.
The term Dynamics denotes that: Since human-activity can be
influenced by wealth; feedback from WF will influence human procreation
choices and resource throughput decisions. As example, see http://www.percapitaoil.com/percapitaoil/index.html
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Personal Transition (PT)
|
This expression applies to
individuals who have absorbed enough information about ecology, and or
economics, and/or many of the other converging issues that clearly
indicate the growth paradigm cannot continue. They have gone through a form of bottoming out, and are now
receptive to initiating or following a new heading. To have an epiphany is similar.
Dictionary: “… a sudden
intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but
striking occurrence”.
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Post Normal:
Science;
Economics
|
(ref in gaia/misc/) + Joerg
The idea of Post Normal Science was suggested by T. 5. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,1962
with various articles written since.
The idea suggested is that normal science is based on known facts
where certainty of outcomes is high and the associated risks are not
high. Post normal extends what is
known into areas that are quite uncertain and associated risks that are
quite high.
Uncertainty of outcome and
high risk are definitely associated with design speculation of changed
social systems and governance with economics that could correct or
supplant those systems we consider normal today: but which,
unfortunately, are driven by a fatal growth addiction.
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Quality Assurance
QA
|
QA systems are a systems-based corporate tool to
ensure product or process continuously meets the design intent. See Dynamic Systems section for greater
detail.
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Region
&
Regions
|
In the envisioned sustainable society, the world will
be divided into hundreds of regions that operate relatively autonomously
but are part of a cooperative dynamic interactive system. APC, when referring to a region’s government,
Regions will be capitalized when it represents the local top-government
of the people.
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Renewable
|
Renewable energy - see Energy above.
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SCSyndrome
(The Elephant in the living room)
|
Sacred Cow Syndrome:
An inhibition, or taboo against thinking about or discussing
certain issues that may lead to an individual’s increase in anxiety or
uncertainty. Some areas may be,
the inevitable results of human population beyond CC, or that infinite
economic growth not possible: or
connecting the dots from now into the future when speculation on the
results of issues like peak-oil, or global warming, or atmospheric
tipping points, or of an increasing national-debt to GDP ratio. I
don’t want to think about it!
Used by Don Chisholm in the ‘95, A 21st Century Steward’s Handbook.
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Scientists
Warnings
World Scientists’,
Warning to
Humanity
MIT
Planet Under
Pressure
Group
|
Scientists warnings to humanity:
Professor Frank Fenner, emeritus
professor of microbiology at the Australian National University, has predicted
that the human race will be extinct within the next 100 years. He has claimed that the human race will
be unable to survive a population explosion and 'unbridled consumption.’
Sir Martin Rees: Our Final Hour is a 2003
book by the British Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees. The full title of
the book is Our Final Hour: A Scientist's Warning: How Terror, Error,
and Environmental Disaster Threaten Humankind's Future In This Century -
On Earth and Beyond. It was published in the United Kingdom under the
less dramatic title Our Final
Century: Will the Human Race Survive the Twenty-first Century?. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Final_Hour
... and...
In 1992, the, Union of Concerned Scientists’, Warning to Humanity, which
called for "fundamental change" to address a range of security
and environmental issues. The document was signed by 1700 scientists,
including a majority of de Nobel prize winners in sciences
http://wikien4.appspot.com/wiki/Union_of_Concerned_Scientists#Publications
“Human beings and the natural world are on a collision
course. Human activities inflict harsh and often irreversible damage on
the environment and on critical resources. If not checked, many of our
current practices put at serious risk the future that we wish for human
society and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alter the living
world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know.
Fundamental changes are urgent if we are to avoid the collision our
present course will bring about.”
World Scientists' Warning to Humanity (1992) [g]
http://www.ucsusa.org/about/1992-world-scientists.html
MIT scientists predict economic collapse
about 2030
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Looking-Back-on-the-Limits-of-Growth.html
Welcome To The Anthropocene http://vimeo.com/39048998
A 3-minute journey through the last 250 years of
our history, from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the Rio+20
Summit. The film charts the growth of humanity into a global force on an
equivalent scale to major geological processes.
The film was commissioned by the Planet Under Pressure conference, London
26-29 March, a major international conference focusing on solutions. http://www.planetunderpressure2012.net/
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Simplexity
|
To explain complex ideas in simple terms. See Wiki
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Silo Effect
|
The silo
effect is the result of specialization.
It limits our scope and resourcefulness. Accourding to
a recent study, this started with the beginning of the agricultural era.
a phrase that is
currently popular in the business and organizational communities to
describe a lack of communication and common goals between departments in
an organization. It is the opposite of systems thinking in an
organization. The silo effect gets its name from the farm silo.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/humans-getting-dumber-stanford-study_n_2121823.html
-Universities can be considered as silos of
learning.
-NGOs generally attempt to bring change on one or two
silo issues.
-But the human predicament is a multi
subject issue.
What is
needed is a multi disciplinary approach.
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Spirituality
|
An inherent human
characteristic, a part of our biological nature. It may makes
us feel in commune with nature.
Some religions associate spirituality with their deity.
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Spread-think
|
When dealing with a specific issue, ideas among the public will
be spread out, and a vote, or even consensus over time, may not choose
the most accurate or reasonable solution.
Deliberations
about Structured Dialogic Design, Systems Thinking,
- by Heiner Benking and Alexander
Christakis
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Sustainability
|
“... of, relating
to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the
resource is not depleted or permanently damaged”. Websters
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Synergy
|
When a
group of separate components are formed into a functioning system, the
usefulness of the total enterprise is greater than the sum of the
individual parts. This value gain, or total usefulness is call synergy. As an adjective it becomes synergetic.
See dynamics
above.
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System Types
|
... see dynamic
Hard Systems
are systems human create like engines,
temperature controlled heading systems, cars, television, etc.
Soft Systems
are human made systems to achieve a result over time, such as
governments, quality assurance systems, etc.
Gaian systems
are natural systems such as plants, animals, or mother nature.
Energy flow is
essential to all systems, and they have many other common
attributes. See Dynamics in
Background Reading section
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Tombstone Debt
|
After Paradigm Change (APC) the tombstone debt is the
amount of money (Gaia$) in circulation needed to supports the Human
Activity (HA) that is in excess of a sustainable level. This debt is distributed among all of
the Regions of the world, in proportion to that Region’s measured excess
HA. It will be paid off when
sustainability levels of HA are reached. i.e., 3D-Optimum
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Triad
|
The group of three primary subject areas, Gaia, Human
Nature and AbRealities (Abstract Realities -
human created institutes).
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Tyranny
of the tools
|
When humans become enslaved by AbRealites.
See 2a: Triad Human Nature.
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UR-GDT
|
UR-Governance Design Team. Members of a cyber effort to document
the foundational framework for a sustainable civilization.
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Wealth
|
In GDP context wealth equates to human happiness. Human happiness consists of health and
general well-being. This cannot be
achieved without a robust and naturally renewing Gaian system.
This view of wealth is vastly different from today’s
common usage that
refers to accumulation of fiat money.
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Wealth Factors
(WF)
|
Wealth factors are items measured in each Region to
assess its overall wealth.
Details in 4e: Envisioning E Dynamic Flows.
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Wicked Problems
|
The label Wicked Problems is given to
cross-disciplinary issues because of the apparent impossibility of
solving them within the current socio-political and economic paradigm.
[wicki]
"Wicked problem" is a phrase originally used in social
planning to describe a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve
because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are
often difficult to recognize. Moreover, because of complex interdependencies,
the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create
other problems.”
>>
Wicked Problems
Structuring
Social Messes with Morphological Analysis
“If
you work in an organisation that deals with
long-term social, commercial or organisational
policy planning, then you've got wicked problems. You may not call them
by this name, but you know what they are. They are those complex, ever changing societal and organisational planning problems that you haven't
been able to treat with much success, because they won't keep still.
They're messy, devious, and reactive, i.e. they fight back when you try
to deal them.” http://www.swemorph.com/wp.html
>>
Wicked
problems used in discussing fragility of civilization http://aidontheedge.info/
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White’s Law
|
White’s Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White%27s_law
Human culture flourishes or declines —in a physical sense— in
direct proportion to the average per capita energy (including nutrient)
extracted from the environment.
A civilization is therefore defined by the gross per capita energy that
its members consume in their pursuit of sustenance, reproduction,
shelter, possessions, entertainment, and personal and cultural security.
BPG Addendum to White’s Law: As used by Reg Morrison http://www.mnforsustain.org/energy%20punctuation%20marks%20morrison.htm)
The per capita exchanges in goods and services within a civilization are
facilitated by a monetary economic system. Those who regulate the money supply also control the rate of exchanges
in goods and serviced, i.e.: energy flow & human-activity, within the
system of civilization. Therefore,
monetary flow control acts as a dynamic
regulator of human activity.
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