Your expression "complexity-thinking" reminded me that I first came across you in a different forum, namely NECSI's complex-science list. Indeed the various terms you quote after that would be more appropriate for that list than the "everything" list. The everything list was not intended for discussing every possible topic, but rather "Ensemble theories of everything" or "Ensemble TOEs". This is quite a focussed topic, which has by and large been adhered to by the list participants.
The big problem with complex-science was that there were several prolific people there who would use the terminology of complex systems in ways totally different to how they're conventionally employed complex systems. I'm not saying that they're wrong, but I am saying that I didn't have a clue what they were talking about, and that no amount of reading their postings helped me to make any kind of sense. I once complained on that list about there being two languages on that discussion list. Ultimately, and perhaps a little sadly, I have had to take the pragmatic strategy of censoring those individuals - simply deleting their postings without reading them, as I just don't benefit from reading them. Cheers John M wrote: > Idea I have, wording is hard. I may mention some key-phrases without > contextual explanations (and without asking Wei Dai to reformulate the list > in favor of these <G>) as stirring around lately in select speculations: > -- "complexity-thinking", -- extending the limits of reductionism: > induction-buildup, to deduction-analysis, -- extending the limited models > of reductionist science, -- natural systems as networks of networks, -- > total interconnectedness -- etc., but I am afraid that whatever I mention > opens another Pandora's box of worms. > We (working in these lines) have still arguments how to understand (then > formulate) concepts like impredicative, endogenous, emergent, etc., beside > the re-identification of 'older' terms galore. > > Sorry to have aggrevated you > > John Mikes > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/Prof Russell Standish Director High Performance Computing Support Unit, Phone 9385 6967, 8308 3119 (mobile) UNSW SYDNEY 2052 Fax 9385 6965, 0425 253119 (") Australia [EMAIL PROTECTED] Room 2075, Red Centre http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks International prefix +612, Interstate prefix 02 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------