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3 November 2005 | Uncompleted

Integrative Design Metaphors

enabling strategic comprehension of the global brain

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Prepared as an annex to Union of Intellible Associations on the issue of Higher Patterns of Order.
[For further information on this strategic initiative, see website of Union of Intelligible Associations]

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Introduction

Various metaphors are implicitly used to order organizations, problems, strategies and values in articulating the challenges of governance. There is a case for reviewing thse metaphors as a set to highlight their adequacy in responding to complexity. Whilst many are adequate for some tasks, in the case of governance there is a more fundamental challenge. In an increasingly fragmented knowledge society, subject to ever increasing degrees of information and cognitive overload, there is effectively a need for cognitive "keystones" or "Rosetta stones" as interfaces between complementary, if not inherently incompatible, perspectives. This contribution therefore explore a sequence of integrative metaphors (illustrated by images) as progressively more powerful tools in this respect -- if only potentially. Where possible, reference is made to the experimental use of these metaphors in ordering the content of the online databases (on organizations, problems, strategies, values and human development) of the Union of International Associations. The global governance challenge for a knowledge-based society is seen as the design of a "Union of Intelligible Associations" -- where the functional significance of these terms is dynamically emergent rather than pre- or over-defined. The possibility of a "dodecameral global brain" is discussed.

Sequence of images / metaphors (and the projection of UIA orgs, problems, strategies, etc databases into them)

• scope / comprehensiveness
• response to detail
• complementarity of incommensurable / opposing perspectives (keystone function)
• mathematical representation (modelling / simulation)
• visualization (geometry / topology)
• user interactivity: change of perspective and degree of detail
• global comprehension (grokability)
• strategic insight for governance and communication channelling
• compatibility / consonance with popular frameworks (possibly as carriers)
• intuitive/psychological consonance
• memorable / mnemonic challenge
• adaptability / opennness

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challenges:

• communicability
• matching with reality
• strategic relevance

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modes:

1. lists
   1. select
   2. prioritized
2. hierarchical / nested
   1. UDC
   2. macrothesaurus
   3. thesaurus scripts 2
3. matrix
   1. ICC
   2. UIA vol 3
4. complementarity diagrams
   1. 76 star Encyc
   2. 12 languages
   3. 92 strategic dilemmas
5. popular symbol systems
   1. astrology
   2. tarot
   3. horrorscope
6. network mapping
   1. network analysis
   2. cybergeography atlas
   3. decision explorer
7. dynamic networks
   1. flatland
   2. touchgraph
   3. loops nested scripts2
   4. soda constructor -- sound
8. circular
   1. I Ching
   2. netmap
   3. current
9. multi-media
   1. projection onto (morphable) images
   2. sonification
10. complexity
    1. m-set fractal
11. three-d (vrml)
    1. projection onto polyhedra / tensegrity
    2. interlocks vrml
    3. configured three-d
    4. cubocta Critchlow
    5. dodecamer DNA
12. transformational semantic/memetic catalysis
    1. jitterbug

	Linear	Nested	Prioritized	Equations	Matrix	Interactive	3D	Strategic
List

 

Notes

• challenge of interdisciplinary / transdisciplinary organization
• implication of clustering knowledge via search engines -- wikitar
• semantic web (see Chinese paper)
• Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally useful and accessible

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