Fw: [searchnet] The Math of Networks

Wed Sep 10 08:01:28 PDT 2003

Thanks Chris
I;m meeting with a bunch of research scientists this afternoon to plan an open space. For some people, mathematical or exterior language helps them to feel at home with this concept.
And another musing thought about ... long links. Certaiinly links among disparate groups/ people create a long link within the current network, helping to energize it, create a living group from what might have been disparate, unconnected people/groups. 
 I wonder if the facilitator is a long link too. ie, by holding space, being invisible and deeply present, the facilitator is energiziing a long link to - a potential outside the network.  . a space meta to the network?.. a link to enspiritng energy that is the source of all new creative potential???
And then I wonder too, why in so many spiritual traditions, the link to the teacher is considered critical... another long link?
Meg Salter

MegaSpace Consulting
(416) 486-6660
meg at megsalter.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chris Corrigan 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 12:21 PM
  Subject: Re: Fw: [searchnet] The Math of Networks

  Welcome Alexander, and thanks for your blog link too.  Several of us here have weblogs as well, including myself (http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot ) , Michael Herman (http://www.globalchicago.net) and Martin Leith (http://www.martinleith.com/blog/).  I like what blogging (keeping weblogs and linking to sources) is doing in the wider world to connect people and ideas and create networks.  I'll add you to my list of links.

  As for the math of networks, I like what David P. Reed has said on this. In this article - http://www.epublicrelations.org/Reedlaw.html - someone has outlined his mathematical law of group formation:

  "The Group Forming Law (or, Reed's Law) calculates the number of groups of two or more people which can be formed a single group.

  For example, how many groups of two or more people can be formed with an initial group of three? According to Reed's Law is 2N-N-1. Substituting 3 for N the answer is 4. Not a very impressive number. However, the answer grows dramatically as N grows. For example, how many groups of two or more people can be formed in a classroom of 20 students? The answer? 1,048,555!!!

  More here: http://www.contextmag.com/setFrameRedirect.asp?src=/archives/199903/DigitalStrategy.asp

  I sometimes like to do the math before meetings to use the figures to explain the amount of potential in the room. Walking the circle, uttering the second principle about whatever happens, I sometimes say "and if you don't believe me, understand this:  The twenty of you in this room can form yourselves in over one million permutations, so don't be too worried about what might have been.work with what is."

  And Harrison, I've often thought of responsibility not so much as an initial condition, but more as a kind of boundary that both enables and bounds the passion.  Passion and responsibility have a symbiotic relationship in Open Space, but my experience has been that people discover their responsibility AFTER they tap their passion.  In other words, without passion as the initial condition, it's less likely that people will feel like they need to propose a topic, much less convene a conversation or follow up.  But people motivated by passion can seem to do anything.  Reminding them that the CAN do anything (with the Law of Two Feet) certainly helps.

  ---
  CHRIS CORRIGAN
  Bowen Island, BC, Canada
  http://www.chriscorrigan.com
  chris at chriscorrigan.com

  (604) 947-9236

  -----Original Message-----
  From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen
  Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 5:23 AM
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Subject: Re: Fw: [searchnet] The Math of Networks

  At 11:58 AM 9/9/2003 +0200, you wrote:

  Hi

  Yeah, small world networks are definitely a big part of why Open Space
  works. Actually it's a big part of why the world works :o)

  Mark Buchanan has written an excellent and highly readable book called
  "Small world" on this very new and very promising science. I've reviewed
  it here: http://www.kjerulf.com/journal/00000214.htm .

  Obvious parallels between small world networks and open space gatherings
  include:
  * Small world networks are highly adaptable, yet very stable - as are
  Open Space gatherings
  * The structure in small worlds networks arises without central planning
  - as in OS
  * Bumblebees can be seen as "weak connections" between tightly knit
  groups - one of the main reasons that small world networks are tightly knit

  Right on! Despite the fact that some folks think they actually organize networks, I think the truth of the matter is that they happen all by themselves in the way of all self-organizing systems. The critical point of initiation is the convergence of passion and responsibility -- somebody cares about something and takes responsibility to talk to others who might share the care. If the fire of passion ignites -- you have a network. If it fizzles and goes out in a puff of smoke, you don't -- and no amount of huffing and puffing will make any difference. Sounds a lot like Open Space to me.  All of which relates, I guess, to Artur's thoughts about "essential conditions" . . . Chris put it neatly (although I am not so sure how elegant I was)  "As for the conditions that make Open Space really hum, I go back to
  Harrison's elegantly stated four: passion, diversity, complexity and urgency.  The more of each, the better the process works." I think it might work better if one were to say passion/responsibility -- but anyhow I find the same essential conditions apply to all useful networks. 

  ho

  Harrison Owen
  7808 River Falls Drive
  Potomac, MD 20854 USA
  phone 301-365-2093 
  207-763-3261 (Summer)
  Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com 
  Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
  Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm

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