Doug,
I knew that if I got no answer from anybody else, I would get one from you or Steve. I expected that you would accuse me of being a dissipative structure. Well, you didn't do THAT exactly. Actually, ever since those tornados in the spring .. and the one we had here about 20 miles way . I have taken anew interest in drain swirls. The empty space in the middle of the swirl, LOOKS like a little tornado. Is it one? Explain your answer. In specific terms. (;-]) N From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Douglas Roberts Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 9:03 PM To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group Subject: Re: [FRIAM] An Open Letter to Steve Guerin And please, couch your answer in the most general of terms. :) -Doug On Jun 28, 2011 6:59 PM, "Nicholas Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Steve Guerin, > > > > I was staring at the water swirling down the drain this evening and I > thought of you (};-]). It has been a very long time since we have had any > kind of conversation on this list about self-organizing systems. I was > reflecting on the vigor with which the water was rushing AROUND the basin > and the slowness with which it seemed to be actually going DOWN the drain, > and a little voice said in my ear . I think it was your voice . that spiral > in the drain is organized to increase the dissipation of energy. But then > my OWN voice said, well then it isn't doing a very good job of it. > > > > So I wanted to ask you: on your account, do dissipative structures ALWAYS > increase the rate of dissipation? Or is it the case that when structures > form that obstruct dissipation, these are not dissipative. In which case, > what are THESE structures called and when do they form. > > > > Nick > > > > > > Nicholas S. Thompson > > Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology > > Clark University > > http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/ > > http://www.cusf.org <http://www.cusf.org/> > > > > >
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