scholarly journals Evolutionary, Cognitive, and Contextual Approaches to the Study of Religious Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lang ◽  
Radek Kundt
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Cultural Systems ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Contextual Variability ◽  
Religious Systems ◽  
Nature Vs Nurture ◽  
The One ◽  
The Explanatory Gap

Abstract The explanatory gap between the life sciences and the humanities that is present in the study of human phenomena impedes productive interdisciplinary examination that such a complex subject requires. Manifested as epistemological tensions over reductionism vs. holism, nature vs. nurture, and the study of micro vs. macro context, the divergent research approaches in the humanities and the sciences produce separate bodies of knowledge that are difficult to reconcile. To remedy this incommensurability, the article proposes to employ the complex adaptive systems approach, which allows to study specific cultural systems in their ecologies and to account for the myriads of factors that constitute such systems, including nonlinear interactions between these factors and their evolution. On a specific example of religious systems, we show that by studying cultural systems in their contextual variability, mechanistic composition, and evolutionary history, the humanities and the sciences should be able to fruitfully collaborate while avoiding previous pitfalls of excessive reductionism, genetic determinism, and sweeping overgeneralizations, on the one hand, and pitfalls of excessive holism, cultural determinism, and aversion to any generalizations, on the other hand.

scholarly journals A Transdisciplinary Complex Adaptive Systems (T-CAS) Approach to Developing a National School-Based Culture of Prevention for Health Improvement: the School Health Research Network (SHRN) in Wales

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Murphy ◽  
Hannah Littlecott ◽  
Gillian Hewitt ◽  
Sarah MacDonald ◽  
Joan Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
School Health ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Culture Of Prevention

AbstractThe paper reflects on a transdisciplinary complex adaptive systems (T-CAS) approach to the development of a school health research network (SHRN) in Wales for a national culture of prevention for health improvement in schools. A T-CAS approach focuses on key stages and activities within a continuous network cycle to facilitate systems level change. The theory highlights the importance of establishing transdisciplinary strategic partnerships to identify and develop opportunities for system reorientation. Investment in and the linking of resources develops the capacity for key social agents to take advantage of disruption points in the re-orientated system, and engagement activities develop the network to facilitate new social interactions and opportunities for transdisciplinary activities. A focus on transdisciplinary action research to co-produce interventions, generate research evidence and inform policy and practice is shown to play an important part in developing new normative processes that act to self-regulate the emerging system. Finally, the provision of reciprocal network benefits provides critical feedback loops that stabilise the emerging adaptive system and promote the network cycle. SHRN is shown to have embedded itself in the system by securing sustainability funding from health and education, a key role in national and regional planning and recruiting every eligible school to the network. It has begun to reorient the system to one of evidence generation (56 research studies co-produced) and opportunities for data-led practice at multiple levels. Further capacity development will be required to capitalise on these. The advantages of a complex systems approach to address barriers to change and the transferability of a T-CAS network approach across settings and cultures are highlighted.

scholarly journals Close-to-nature silviculture in eastern Quebec: Advances over the last decade

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Robert Schneider ◽  
Laurie Dupont-Leduc ◽  
Vincent Gauthray-Guyénet ◽  
Nicolas Cattaneo ◽  
LaraMelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Forest Management Planning ◽  
Forest Resilience ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Harvesting Systems

The increase in intensity of the harvesting of eastern Quebec’s forests has resulted in profound compositional changes at the stand level. The composition and structure of presettlement stands provide key benchmarks when implementing ecosystem-based management (EBM). A core principle of EBM is the emulation of natural disturbances, and it is hypothesized that forest resilience will be maintained. Managers have thus adapted some of their silvicultural activities to better mimic the main natural disturbances in eastern Quebec. These adaptations include using variable retention harvesting systems instead of clear-cuts and converting even-aged stands. Nevertheless, other close-to-nature silvicultural practices must be developed, as gaps between managed and unmanaged stands persist. Most importantly, there is a need to consider global change within EBM, which could be accomplished by prioritizing forest functions rather than composition or structure when establishing silvicultural objectives. Elements of the complex adaptive systems approach to increasing forest resilience can be incorporated into the larger-scale EBM approach. This could be done by considering the functional complementarity of species, forest function, and stand structure in forest management planning. These efforts must not be constrained, however, to allowable annual cut calculations, as these are not sufficiently sensitive to compare different management scenarios.

XXI secolo: l’universo fisico-cibernetico e le grandi sfide emergenti

2021 ◽  
pp. 15-27
Author(s):  
Mauro Lombardi
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Ubiquitous Computing ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Cyber Physical Systems ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Diffusion Of Information ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
The One

In this chapter we outline the cyber-physical world we entered following the pervasive diffusion of information processing devices that are able to able to interact through exchanging information (cyber-physical systems). In this way ubiquitous computing and ubiquitous connectivity are changing how people think, act and produce. Indeed processes and products are becoming smart and connected on a potentially global level. The possibility of realizing a digital of everything representation from the subatomic level and nanoscale to the astronomical level implies that the physical world is surrounded and pervaded by a digital sphere that interacts with and influences it. Are we in a world like the one hypothesized by Borges' famous paradoxes of the 1: 1 map? The reality Is very different from the imagery Borges’s map: hyperstructures self-organize and emerge, global players act and influence the dynamics of complex adaptive systems.

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