Systemantics

last year, when we set this blog up, I also made a 'sandpit' blog in parallel, where we could try things out. In June 05 I posted the text below in that alternative universe, but didn't follow up on it. As I consider this blog intermediate between the permanent publication of Maybe Quarterly, and the semi-private interaction and discussions in the MLA forum, I thought I would repost the notes, to invite any feedback towards finalising a piece for the Spring MQ, and to share the links I have found.
Disclaimer: WORK-IN-PROGRESS (scroll on)

Analog and Digital Systems

Whole Systems - ecological systems

Open and Closed Systems

8 system (circuit) Model ETC.

Here you can find a list of some of the most influential people in the systems field - I have a particular soft spot for Bateson, von Bertalanffy, Watzlawick, Prigogene, Bucky Fuller and Shannon.

Oh, and Mr Korzybski's General Semantics:
"The origin of this work was a new functional definition of 'man', as formulated in 1921, based on an analysis of uniquely human potentialities; namely, that each generation may begin where the former left off. This characteristic I called the 'time-binding' capacity. Here the reactions of humans are not split verbally and elementalistically into separate 'body', 'mind', 'emotions', 'intellect', 'intuitions', etc., but are treated from an organism-as-a-whole-in-an-environment (external and internal) point of view. This parallels the Einstein-Minkowski space-time integration in physics, and both are necessitated by the modern evolution of sciences. - Alfred Korzybski

Ludwig von Bertalanffy worked on General System Theory - International Society for the System Sciences

Watzlawick makes me laugh. Shannon made juggling machines, so I have to love his mind. Bateson, as a grand master, often displayed the difficulty of thinking about systems in the Aristotelean language of Either/Or, and would mumble self-referentially about preferring Both/And [I may have made that up, but Niels Bohr famously mumbled when asked to explain his model of the universe - I heard that on the radio, so it must have some truth (!)] Prigogene turned me onto chaosmics (Joycean word) or, how order can spontaneously (almost inevitably) arise out of disorder without some Great Architect in the Sky having anything to do with it.

I find 'general models' interest me most. A few Quotes to indicate what I mean.

A lot of work on 'whole systems' belong in the ecological realm

And, of course, as buzz words they may simply turn up in sales pitches in Google

This page seems like a good place to start, if you don't know much about the subject
And you can find a great book list here

Oh, yeah. Systemantics comes from John Gall, who wrote a rather witty book with that title - still available from Amazon, etc - I believe - or the General Systemantics Press.

One's Own View of Reality as the Only Reality is the Most Dangerous of All Delusions.
"As I have already said, the belief that one's own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous or all delusions. It becomes still more dangerous if it is coupled with the missionary zeal to enlighten the rest of the world, whether the rest of the world wishes to be enlightened or not. To refuse to embrace wholeheartedly a particular definition of reality (e.g. an ideology), to dare to see the world differently can become a think crime' in a truly Orwellian sense as we get steadily closer to 1984." Watzlawick

Talking to Bob

Just a quick post to say that Robert Anton Wilson's course on Non-Eucidean Politics starts today (the 23rd) and that you can still sign up for what should prove a stimulating course.

"Greetings, fellow inhabitants of planet earth. This course does NOT intend to convert you to one different way of thinking but to introduce you to several alternatives -- systems almost always ignored by the corporate media and State education.?We begin with stateless socialism. Even more "unthinkable" notions wlll soon follow..."

Enrol here

Check your political orientation here

on the spot zen recording studio space

the sound already on
music playing
instruments lay waiting
electrified
ready for moments notice on the flow through effect of life
and recording for prosperity
translated into infinate forms

burning
sense
sound not still but still
individual combined
or friends from other worlds
just getting to know before moving on into another existance

down on the carpet
the long red pathway rings string sliding

Focused
Having built a map of the picture
The scene clearly viewed

Walking
Observing the different actions, interactions, and the results
Heard
Repeated
Played Back
Write it down

the structure inches from the floor

Don't Quote Me

I enjoy the fact that we have a regular flow of visitors, but at the same time we can’t really expect people to return too often if the content doesn’t change.

Any MLA members who would like to contribute (and this doesn’t have the same pressures as writing a piece for the Maybe Quarterly, as you can always edit or delete your own posts), just contact me to get an invite to become a contributing member, easy as that.

After an initial flurry of activity with several members contributing creative pieces, this seems to have turned into more-or-less my own blog and gossip channel.

I don’t mind as:

I have really enjoyed my 18 months as a member of MLA, and feel happy to enthuse about it

I know that the world has plenty of free forums, so you might wonder why you should have to pay to mingle with this particular crowd, so I think it only fair to try to describe the kind of style you will meet on MLA courses and forums...

- No, the women don't get to play chess with Marcel Duchamp and no-one gets to play chess with nude women (as far as I know) but outside of that, anything might happen.

I don’t have any guideline or censor to consider, so the whole thing can mutate or die. Things change over time, anyway, and I will happily keep the pages turning until someone else decides to post new words or pictures

Right now I have gone off to explore the (free) Tribe network, and the various groups in there who have similar interests, from General Semantics to Robert Anton Wilson, from Magick and Shamanism to James Joyce. I only hope they don’t see me as trying to hustle up business! I have no investment in MLA beyond my own love of learning and good company.

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now".

—J. W. von Goethe

Things to look forward to...

So the Gregorian Calendar rolled over into a new digit, and on we go.

The new courses for the Academy will start soon.

The Goddess Path sounds intriguing, however you visualise the goddesses.

Patricia Monaghan
will lead a course on The Goddess Path. You can look at the syllabus for this 8 week course from January 9 - March 5, 2006 here

Robert Anton Wilson will also run an 8 week course on Non-Euclidian Politics:Beyond Left and Right from Jan 23 - March 19, 2006.

Finally (for now) Antero Alli will run an 8 week course from March 13 - May 7, 2006 - on the subject of ANGEL TECH: The 8-Circuit Brain in Theory and Practice. Especially exciting for those of us who missed RAW's previous 8 Dimensions of "Mind" course.

If you can't afford that course, haven't the time, or have signed up (like me) but would like a foretaste - I noticed that Antero Alli himself has started a tribe on the same theme over at Tribe. Yeh, right - freeeeee, honest!