Difference between revisions of "Holotopia: Collective mind"

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<p>We see, in other words, that we are using our wonderful new technology to do no better than create 'electrical candles'.</p>   
 
<p>We see, in other words, that we are using our wonderful new technology to do no better than create 'electrical candles'.</p>   
 
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<div class="page-header" ><h2>Stories</h2></div>
 
<div class="page-header" ><h2>Stories</h2></div>
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<div class="col-md-3"><h2>Our <em>collective mind</em> needs <em>structural</em> change</h2></div>
 
<div class="col-md-3"><h2>Our <em>collective mind</em> needs <em>structural</em> change</h2></div>
 
<div class="col-md-7"><h3>What it takes to be informed</h3>  
 
<div class="col-md-7"><h3>What it takes to be informed</h3>  
<p>Imagine a world where correct understanding of one's situation is used as basis for action.</p>  
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<p>Imagine a world where correct understanding of an issue or situation is used for directing action.</p>  
<p> In <em>knowledge federation</em> we use the keyword  <em>gestalt</em> for such understanding. And we use this <em>keyword</em> to make the intuitive meaning of the word "informed" precise and clear: One is informed, if one has an "appropriate <em>gestalt</em>", or a <em>gestalt</em> that is appropriate to the situation at hand. "Our house is on fire" is a canonical example of a <em>gestalt</em>. An appropriate <em>gestalt</em> correctly points to a course of action by which the situation needs to be handled.</p>  
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<p> In <em>knowledge federation</em> we use the keyword  <em>gestalt</em> for such understanding. And we use this <em>keyword</em> to make the intuitive meaning of the word "informed" precise and clear: One is informed, if one has an "appropriate <em>gestalt</em>", or a <em>gestalt</em> that is appropriate to the situation at hand. "Our house is on fire" is a canonical example of a <em>gestalt</em>. An appropriate <em>gestalt</em> correctly points to an action that needs to be taken.</p>  
<p>Suppose, now, that we apply this idea to our very handling of information, and of knowledge. What <em>gestalt</em> would result? What course of action would it point to?</p>  
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<p>Suppose, now, that we apply this idea to our very handling of information, and of knowledge. What <em>gestalt</em> would result? What course of action would it be pointing to?</p>  
  
 
<h3>Knowledge work has a flat tire</h3>
 
<h3>Knowledge work has a flat tire</h3>
 
<p>In 2011, when the Knowledge Federation completed its self-organization as a <em>transdiscipline</em>, we decided to "go public" and propose <em>knowledge federation</em> to the Silicon Valley, and to the world. In our workshop at the Triple Helix IX conference of international change-makers in knowledge work, at Stanford University, we used the flat tire metaphor to answer the above questions, and motivate our proposal.</p>  
 
<p>In 2011, when the Knowledge Federation completed its self-organization as a <em>transdiscipline</em>, we decided to "go public" and propose <em>knowledge federation</em> to the Silicon Valley, and to the world. In our workshop at the Triple Helix IX conference of international change-makers in knowledge work, at Stanford University, we used the flat tire metaphor to answer the above questions, and motivate our proposal.</p>  
<p>[[Knowledge Work Has a Flat Tire]] is a real-life event where two leading scientists contradicted one other while presenting to the public and the media the scientific standing of an urgent and complex policy issue, the climate change. Our point was that a non-expert reader had no way to resolve this contradiction and decide who was right. That our present way of informing the public leads to confusion and inaction. And that our situation resembles the situation of people in a car that has a punctured tire: Pressing the gas pedal and surging forward (publishing, or broadcasting) will not take us to our destination. Our situation demands that we stop and take care of a <em>structural</em> defect.</p>  
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<p>[[Knowledge Work Has a Flat Tire]] describes a real-life event where two leading scientists contradicted each other, while presenting to the public and the media the scientific view of an urgent and complex policy issue, the climate change. Obviously, a non-expert reader had no way to resolve this contradiction and decide who was right. Our point was that our present way of informing the public leads to confusion and inaction. And that our situation resembles the situation of people in a car with a punctured tire: Pressing the gas pedal and surging forward (publishing, or broadcasting) is no longer effective. Our situation demands that we stop and take care of a <em>structural</em> defect.</p>  
  
 
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<div class="col-md-3"><h2>Democracy needs structural change</h2></div>
 
<div class="col-md-3"><h2>Democracy needs structural change</h2></div>
 
<div class="col-md-7"><h3>Cybernetics of democracy</h3>  
 
<div class="col-md-7"><h3>Cybernetics of democracy</h3>  
<p>We are preparing a book series, to help us launch <em>holotopia</em> and <em>knowledge federation</em>. The second book in the series has the working title "Knowledge Federation", and subtitle "Cybernetics of Democracy".</p>
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<p>We are preparing a book series, to help launch <em>holotopia</em> and <em>knowledge federation</em>. The second book in the series has the working title "Knowledge Federation", and subtitle "Cybernetics of Democracy".</p>
 
<p>What <em>is</em> "democracy"?</p>  
 
<p>What <em>is</em> "democracy"?</p>  
 
<p>We tend to answer that question in the same way as we answer "What is science?" or "What is journalism?" We simply <em>reify</em> a certain practice as we've inherited it from the past. "Democracy" distinguishes itself in that we've inherited its mechanisms from a <em>very</em> distant point in history, when <em>everything</em> was different.</p>  
 
<p>We tend to answer that question in the same way as we answer "What is science?" or "What is journalism?" We simply <em>reify</em> a certain practice as we've inherited it from the past. "Democracy" distinguishes itself in that we've inherited its mechanisms from a <em>very</em> distant point in history, when <em>everything</em> was different.</p>  
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Revision as of 03:17, 1 July 2020

H O L O T O P I A:    F I V E    I N S I G H T S



The printing press revolutionized communication, and enabled the Enlightenment. But the Internet and the interactive digital media constitute a similar revolution. Hasn't the change we are proposing, from the 'candle' to the 'lightbulb', already been completed?

We look at the socio-technical system by which information is produced and handled in our society, which the new information technology helped us create; and we zoom in on its structure. We readily see that its principle of operation has remained broadcasting—which suited the printing press, but when applied to the new technology exacerbates problems, instead of enabling solutions.

We see, in other words, that we are using our wonderful new technology to do no better than create 'electrical candles'.