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Showing posts with the label systemics

transforming ultimate particulars into stereotypes

  Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end in themselves. Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals   People like to be treated as ultimate particulars—unique, valued, and essential in themselves. However, in the modern world, science, economics, and politics reduce individuals to statistical profiles or generalized stereotypes. They are categorized or made into avatars of the ‘other’. The transformation of full, complex humans into a caricature of the ‘other’ facilitates the process of demonizing the ‘other’.   Some recent historical examples of demonization are in the same vein as the more benign anti-intellectualism that permeates the American cultural landscape nowadays. Extreme examples are the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia who purged intellects or people who just looked like an ‘intellect’ (eg wore prescription glasses etc....
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Master Classes in Systemic Designing now available

  Master Classes in Systemic Designing https://www.haroldgnelson.com/masterclasses   It’s Time for a pivot in how we approach securing improvements in the human condition     These Systemic Design Master Classes offer a general overview of one thread of inquiry that is used in the development of a supportive foundation for stances and approaches to systemic designing.    Familiarity with this thread is intended to be the inception point for future shared exchanges with others who are learning and applying systemic design approaches.     These inquiries are meant to further develop fundamental skills and perspectives acquired — not through argumentation and debate — but rather through conversations and dialogues.    These Inquires are guided in part by the values and beliefs made visible in the prospectus for a proposed Systemic-Design ‘Flight’ School :   https://www.academia.edu/110744521/PROSPECTUS_Systemic_Design_Flight_Schoo...
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The Promise of Systemic Designing

Chapter just published:  The Promise of Systemic Designing: Giving Form to Water  Learning, Design, and Technology pp 1-50 |  Cite as Harold G. Nelson (1) Email author ( nelson.group43@gmail.com )  1. Computer Science, University of Montana, , Missoula, USA  Abstract The world is understood to be more complex and dynamic than previously thought. Design is understood to be a deeper mystery than previously assumed. Design creates reality. Humans have engaged in design activities – designing – from the beginning of history, but little is known of its true nature or full potential. Familiar approaches to design and design education no longer match the real-world necessities and expectations of modern societies. Everything is connected, and it is difficult, or it seems often impossible, to determine what course of action is prudent when designing within such complexity. Systemic design is an emergent means for creating desired change that takes a broader ...
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Commanders Design Team 19

Just finished a practicum with the Commander’s Design Team for the US STRATCOM (Strategic Command) where another new design team is forming. It is great to work with the leadership of this group because they understand that design and systemics are more than that offered by fads and decoys carrying a label ‘design’. The context is challenging because a traditional military structure is not very amenable to new ways of working—such as designing or systemic designing—which are essential for success in a rapidly changing, complex world. The design projects are also challenging because of the scale and consequences of the STRATCOM mission. Great design challenge!
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systemics are the logics of design

There is a commonly expressed fear among scientists and other rational agents that design is too nihilistic and relativistic. Design is dismissed as merely expressions of intuition, fashion or ‘whatever’ and not objective, rational inquiry. This has raised many barriers between scientific thinkers and design practitioners. It has confused design educators and students alike. However, systemics provides dimensions of critical reasoning to designing that many assume or fear are missing. In systemic designing, systems and design are not only interrelated, they are inseparable. Systemic design is a compound whole and not merely two interrelated strategies of inquiry. It is an integration of knowledge and skill that enables prudent action—wise action—to transpire. It is a manifestation of the integration of theory and action—wisdom. This is the original definition of sophia —in philosophy ( philo (love) + sophia (wisdom))—as the wise hand . It is a holistic s...
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Relationship of Systems Thinking and Design Symposium 3 keynote

Relating Systems Thinking and Design 2014 Symposium Proceedings Editors: Birger Sevaldson, Peter Jones Published by  The Oslo School of Architecture and Design ISBN: 978-82-547-0263-5 The proceedings from the RSD4 symposium are now available online:    http://systemic-design.net/rsd3-proceedings/  from the successful Relating Systems Thinking and Design Symposium in Oslo, October 2014. The proceedings contain presentations and papers presented at RSD3.  The proceedings also contain papers by keynote speakers Hugh Dubberly and Harold Nelson and a transcript of the late Ranulph Glanville's last speech. The RSD symposia was hosted by the Oslo School of Architecture and Design:  www.aho.no.   An Appreciative Critique Summary Keynote by Harold Nelson
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