Nick, old friend. I"ll answer your request with another question: were you ever the recipient of a "swirlie" during any of your formative years? I think not; otherwise the physics of the dissapative forces of swirling water would have become ever ingrained into your geststalt.
Affectionately, -Doug On Jun 28, 2011 8:20 PM, "Nicholas Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote: > 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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