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  • From: "oliver smith callis" <oliversmithcallis@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Philosophy of Science
  • Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 18:44:45 -0700

I accidentally sent that a bit early...

Since this is fresh in my mind, I thought I would post some quotes
that are relevant to the dialogue.

The last quote got cut off:

"The understanding of pattern then, will b e of crucial importance to
the scientific understanding of life. However, for a full
understanding of a living system, the understanding of its pattern of
organization, although critically important is not enough. We also
need to understand the systems structure. Indeed we have seen that the
study of structure has been the principal approach of Western science
and philosophy and as such has eclipsed the study of pattern.

I have come to believe that the key to a comprehensive theory of
living systems lies in the synthesis of these two approaches - the
study of pattern (or form, order, quality) and the study of structure
(or substance, matter, quantity). I shall follow Humberto Maturana and
Francisco Varela in their definitions of these two key criteria of a
living system - its pattern of organization and its structure." Capra,
Web of Life p.158

Sorry if this is a bit much, I've been very absorbed in this topic lately.

Oliver

--
Oliver Smith Callis

`·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯`
"To know and not to do is not to know: I hear and I forget. I see and
I remember. I do and I understand."
-Chinese Proverb

"He who desires and acts not breeds pestilence."
-William Blake
`·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯``·.¸¸.·´¯`




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