Introduction to the Future Society

1. Introduction to the Future Society http://www.futuresociety.org.uk/ Niall Douglas (BSc) Tertian, St. Andrews University President of FutureSoc

2. 1.1 History

3. 1.2 Our Place • (think of the following as a web) • World Future Society • Forum For The Future (UK) • International Futures Forum (Fife) • The St. Andrews Students Association Future Society (Us!) • St. Andrews University itself • George Soros’ Open Society Institute • HRH The Prince of Wales • Capitalism – As If The World Matters by Jonathon Porritt

4. 2.1 The New Way Of Thinking • Generally called “Systems Thinking” • though this is more what is currently known than what could be known – hence the NWOT • Is very, very wide ranging – the same core principles applied to each discipline • BUT: These core principles just look new, they are actually very, very old:– “mysticism refound through LSD” • New Age hippies can actually be described in maths

5. 2.2 Features of the NWOT • Shifts emphasis from the parts to the whole • Equally requires irrationality, spirituality, emotion as much as empiricism, the scientific method and logic • All human experience is source of inspiration • Applying patterns of the small to the big and the big to the small • However, we know we are just beginning this path – our knowledge is incredibly immature • We more know of what we don’t know than know

6. 3.1 NWOT Theory 101 • Whatever you’re doing (writing a book, a song, painting a picture, being alive etc) you’re traversing a fractal geometry • Creativity stems from randomness (chaos) • (Constrained) Free will is compatible with determinism • Gregory Chaitin’s interpretation of Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem

7. 3.2 So what’s a fractal? • Anything which is self-similar at smaller scales • This is most of everything in Nature – linear phenomena are rare, yet that’s what we currently consider our triumph of science • Technically speaking, it is any system with emergent properties • These being any initially unspecified properties generated by application of time (ie; evolution)

8. 3.3 Fractals in Nature 1

9. 3.4 Fractals in Nature 2

10. 3.5 Fractals in Nature 3 • Does God Play Dice? by Dr. Ian Stewart

11. 3.6 Fractals in Nature 4

12. 3.7 Fractals in Nature 5

13. 3.8 Fractals in Nature 6

14. 3.9 Fractals in Nature 7

15. 3.10 Fractals in Nature 8

16. 4.1 Nature in Fractals

17. 4.2 The Mandelbrot Set 1 • Very simple equation:Z = Z2 + C • Gives one of the most complicated mathematical structures currently known • Explore on your own with XaoS available from http://xaos.sourceforge.net/

18. 4.3 The Mandelbrot Set 2

19. 4.4 The Lorentz Chaotic Attractor

20. 4.5 What to take away from this • Everything in the Universe follows the same pattern: • Growth of Complexity/Interconnectedness • System goes chaotic • New forms of order emerge (emergent properties) • Growth of Complexity/Interconnectedness • And so on … • Why? Because progression of time = growth of complexity/interconnectedness ie; structure • You can apply this to almost anything

21. 5.1 Upcoming Events 1 • We have six planned guest lectures this year, all of which are agreed in principle with the speakers: • Cognitive Psychology • Subatomic Particle Physics & Spirituality • Corporate Governance (Management & Law) • Ecology • Accounting • Historiography • International Relations

22. 5.2 Upcoming Events 2 • We also have two video shows planned with more perhaps to follow • We will be studying two books this semester: • The Web Of Life by Fritjof Capra (moderately hard) • Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins (easy) • You can (re)watch these lectures as well as past lectures off our website over the internet, as well as download lecture slides and other materials • If these prove too difficult for members, we may arrange special lectures HOWEVER …

23. 5.3 You get what you put in! • The best, and ONLY way you will learn this stuff is through self-study! • We can help you when you get stuck, but you MUST make this journey alone • All events are held when possible during the first three weeks of each semester so they inspire your study for the remainder of the semester • Look at this as your real education. A degree is just a degree. Universities are really there for networking, NOT education!

24. 5.4 Event 1 • [PROVISIONAL] Tuesday 3rd October 2006 7.30pm The Salad Bowl, Student's Association (Price: Free/£1)Topic: Fractals - The Colour of Infinity by Sir Arthur C. ClarkeThis 1995 documentary is famous for good reason - lots of pulsing psychedelic colours with a custom written Pink Floyd sound track while a wizened Arthur C. Clarke croaks out a description. It scored 9.4 out of 10 on IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241317/) . Lasts less than an hour, but you'll almost certainly want to discuss it afterwards.

25. 5.5 Event 2 • Thursday 5th October 2006 7.30pm School I, The Quad (Price: Free/£2)Topic: Knowing and being: new prospects for integrating science and spiritualityLecturer: Prof. Chris Clarke, University of SouthamptonA combination of insights from cognitive psychology, quantum physics and religious studies is now restoring an integral worldview, whose hallmark is the acceptance of a plurality of different ways of knowing. This offers hope for finding a way of peace in a future which, with the rise of religious and secular extremism in both East and West, increasingly seems fraught with threats to both civil society and the ecosystem.Chris Clarke is a Visiting Professor at Southampton University, where he was previously Professor of Applied Mathematics. His main research has been on astrophysics, moving more recently into the physics of the brain and consciousness studies, and leading to the edited book "Ways of Knowing: science and mysticism today"

26. 5.6 Event 3 • [PROVISIONAL] Thursday 12th October 2006 7.30pm School I, The Quad (Price: Free/£2)Topic: The failings of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Lecturer: Dr. Crawford Spence, University of St. AndrewsThe rise of the multinational corporation to unchallanged supremacy is probably one of the most significant characteristics of modernity. However, this rise to power was equally marked by substantial and continuing declines in living conditions for much of the world's population, even in the West. Corporations have little incentive to be socially or environmentally responsible past that legally required, and a great deal of incentive to be as destructive and unsustainable as possible in order to increase short term profits.Crawford Spence lectures on CSR in the Management School which is one of the leading Management departments in the UK. A fiery and passionate speaker, his wide knowledge of grass-roots social movements ensures a practical balance to the theory.

27. 6.1 Summary • Why you should join the Future Society: • This year we have six guest lectures planned, with half by internationally recognised leaders in their fields • We run a book club studying two books per semester with two meetings per semester • We plug you directly into the world movement through our Corporate Sponsor the International Futures Forum • We provide somewhere for you to meet each other which is the whole point of attending a top ten University • All for a measly £4 now, £5 after tonight (excepting where guest lecturers want a speaking fee)! http://www.futuresociety.org.uk/