Self-organization and beyond

[Ingrid Ebeling]

Dear Ralph,

thank you very much, Ralph, for this interesting hint, it's amasing.

Ingrid Ebeling

EBUS Institut für Entwicklungsberatung und Supervision
Ingrid Ebeling • Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D - 30 657 Hannover
Tel.: +49-511-336 03 30 • Fax: +49-511-336 03 47
e-mail: ie at institut-ebus.de • http://www.institut-ebus.de




Am 18.06.2007 um 15:15 schrieb Ralph Copleman:

> Hi,
>
> I was paging through a book the other day called “Biomimicry” by  
> Janine Benyus, a science journalist.  From the back cover: “She  
> introduces the maverick researchers who are studying proteins to  
> make blindingly fast computers, discovering new drugs by observing  
> what animals eat, and more.”
>
> Benyus identifies four “tricks of the trade” that nature employs  
> when making things.  The third one is “self-assembly”.  That  
> sounded to me a lot like self-organization, and since I’m always on  
> the lookout for analogies to open space, I took a further look...
>
> ...nature’s first trick of the trade is that nature manufactures  
> its materials under life-friendly conditions – in water, at room  
> temperature, without harsh chemicals or high pressures.”  She’s  
> reflecting on the difference between nature and human industrial  
> processes, but as I read between these lines with OS in mind, this  
> was interesting.
> ...”ordered hierarchical structures” - by this she does NOT mean  
> organizational pyramids.  She’s referring to the added strength  
> that comes from having multiple, connected bands of materials, as  
> in steel bridge cables or human muscles and tendons.  These items  
> are extra strong and resilient because they are many similar parts  
> joined in function rather than one solid piece.  Think: humans  
> sitting in a circle to address the same theme.
> ...self-assembly – nature “grows its materials from the ground up,  
> not by building but by self-assembling.”  Sounds like every OS  
> meeting I’ve ever seen.
> “...the ability to customize materials through the use of  
> templates” – She says most human industrial processes are “heat,  
> beat, and treat” in their primary methodology and produce a lot of  
> waste material.  “...nature makes only what she wants and when she  
> wants.  No waste on the cutting room floor.”
>
> This fourth one intrigues me.  It sounds like the community market  
> place to me and recalls to mind how every posted topic in an OS  
> gathering contributes something important to the overall collective  
> consciousness and ultimate sense of the meeting that is a form of  
> final product.  No waste at all.
>
> I’ve always believed OS is the closest thing we have to humans  
> behaving in harmony with nature and evolution.  Now I’m more  
> convinced then ever.
>
> The only thing is that bit in the first item, where it implies  
> nature produces everything in water.  Does this mean we only open  
> space in lakes or pools from now on?
>
> Ralph Copleman
>
>
>
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