Books That Ought to Live

I am asked often for suggestions on readings for systemic design related topics. I also notice the lack of references in contemporary writing to watershed ideas and thinkers from just a few decades ago. As new generations of professionals and scholars begin exploring new or newish domains of interest such as design, design thinking, systems, systems approach, systems thinking et. al. it would be good to explore books and authors who have been left out of the canon of accepted texts for normative disciplines and professional fields. This article is a good reminder that there are books that need to be rediscovered even though they have been shunned by their own: Books that wouldn’t die
https://lnkd.in/gtmGXuC

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certainty vs certitude

Certaintly and Certitude The necessity of well-formed questions "certitude leads to violence" - Oliver Wendell Holmes https://hnelson.substack.com/p/certainty-vs-certitude

the 'learning way'

the 'learning way' Mastery-Learning in Systemic Design Shuhari Aikido master Endō Seishirō shihan stated: "It is known that, when we learn or train in something, we pass through the stages of shu, ha, and ri. These stages are explained as follows. In shu, we repeat the forms and discipline ourselves so that our bodies absorb the forms that our forebears created. We remain faithful to these forms with no deviation. Next, in the stage of ha, once we have disciplined ourselves to acquire the forms and movements, we make innovations. In this process , the forms may be broken and discarded. Finally, in ri, we completely depart from the forms, open the door to creative technique, and arrive in a place where we act in accordance with what our heart/mind desires, unhindered while not overstepping laws." Shuhari (Kanji: 守破離 Hiragana: しゅはり) is an evolving Japanese martial art concept that describes the stages of learning leading to mastery. It has also been applied to other...

thinking amid complexity

Reality—real life—is complex, more complex than has been imagined or can be imagined. The majority of our pressing challenges or issues of concern are overwhelmingly complex in overwhelmingly complex environments and contexts. People are more complex than appreciated or understood. Complexity is the essence of being human, of life, of existence. When there isn’t the competency or ability to deal with complex situations, they are referred to as being too complicated and ‘wicked’ — e.g., ‘wicked problems’. But the perceived ‘wicked’ quality of a situation is actually a reflection of a change agent's inability to engage successfully with the complex situation at hand. As Annis Nin observed, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Unfortunately, the characterization of a situation as wicked rather than the competency of a change agent to successfully engage with complexity short-circuits the selection of appropriate methods of inquiry, replacing them with more ...

Accidental Vagrant

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