Sunday, February 26, 2012

Which quantum mechanics?

In this blog post Bryant says:

"Quantum mechanics significantly call for revisions of our concept of substance at the level of questions of individuation. Traditionally substances are thought as individuated by their location in time and space, yet phenomena such as non-locality present significant challenges to such a concept of individuals. Quantum mechanics calls for us to revise our understanding of substance in terms of findings such as wave-particle duality, non-locality, and subatomic particles that seem capable of continuously popping in and out of existence like Schroedinger’s notorious cat."

But which or whose QM is more consistent with his OOO orientation?

Friday, February 24, 2012

Quantum withdrawal

Ilya Prigogine has come up in some recent posts so I'm re-reading his (along with Isabelle Stengers) classic Order Out of Chaos (Bantam 1984). The following passage for me accurately describes the excess that is always withdrawn from any particular actualization, in Bryant's terms.

Falsely inflated gas prices

Randi Rhodes made me aware of this McClatchy report on the recent spike in oil prices. Given the state of working people's economy it seems unlikely there has been an increase in demand and it turns out there hasn't been. According to the report US demand is down so sharply since last year that we are now a net exporter. There is also no supply problem, with unusually high inventory. So what's causing the prices to rise?

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Occupy Integral

At IPS Balder linked to this post by Terry Patten and Marco Morelli at Beams and Struts blog. Bravo for the recognition of social engagement. However as  one example of such integral engagement they list conscious capitalism (CC). Until they can face how CC is itself antithetical to the very Occupy movement in its perpetuation of the social injustices it seeks to remedy they are defeating their noble intentions. This thread might awaken them somewhat, if they are serious about this and open to alternative integral (intergraal) critique. Also this thread on alternative economics based on Christian Arnsperger's ideas would be helpful, as well as this thread on progressive economics. And this one on Jeremy Rifkin, who espouses a blatant developmental socio-economic model and about whom one never hears in kennilingus circles.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Complexity and Postmodernism

I came upon this free ebook, Complexity and Postmodernism by Paul Cilliers (Routledge 1998). From the introduction:

“Complexity and Postmodernism explores the notion of complexity in the light of contemporary perspectives from philosophy and science. Paul Cilliers contributes to our general understanding of complex systems, and explores the implications of complexity theory for our understanding of biological and social systems. Postmodern theory is reinterpreted in order to argue that a postmodern perspective does not necessarily imply relativism, but that it could also be viewed as a manifestation of an inherent sensitivity to complexity.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Deleuzean dynamics

I found an interesting conversation between Protevi, DeLanda and Thanem about Deleuze. They also discuss the “science wars” and how philosophy is an interdisciplinary meta-endeavor, but I'll leave you to read that on your own. Here are some excerpts relevant to OOO, the last of particular interest to you mereological non-assholonians.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Chaotic science wars

This interesting article investigates the political "science wars" between the feuding factions of chaos theory, between Prigogine's philosophical approach, which sees correlations with pomo cultural theory, and the more objectivist and applied approach of Mandelbrot et al.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Same/different iterations

In my comments to a fractal video Balder posted I showed some correlations between deconstructive and fractal iteration. I found an article by Katherine Hayles called “Chaos as orderly disorder” wherein she says:

“Derrida's deconstructive methodology is strikingly similar to the mathematical techniques
of chaos theory.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Fractal interability

Balder posted a video at IPS showing fractal bifurcation. My response:

The fractal video seems to indicate that there is no final whole or part, that there are just indefinite fractal bifurcations?

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Conservatism thrives on low intelligence

This should come as no surprise to anyone with half a brain and a good high school education. Too bad we cannot even get such a rudimentary education these days, given the conservative war on education and teachers so as to keep people from understanding their machinations. From the linked article:

"[A]...Canadian study published last month in the journal Psychological Science...revealed that people with conservative beliefs are likely to be of low intelligence....the study suggests [this] is not unfounded generalisation but empirical fact.

Less verbose

Archive Fire blog has recently posted this talk by Jane Bennett given at The New School. I particularly appreciate her "less verbose practices," like dance and performance art, that bring us into closer contact with "the call of things" (7:45), as this is the direction I've veered into of late. Hence my recent lack of verbosity and focus on enactive performance, which is withdrawn from the blog. I guess you'd have to be here to see for yourself.