Madison Chaos and Complex Systems Seminar

Summer 2017 Discussions

At the seminar on May 5, 2015, we decided to make our long-standing summer discussions slightly more formal by having a topic, a facilitator, and a web-accessible reading or video. The reading or video should take no more than 20 minutes, and the facilitator should be prepared to give at most a 5-minute introduction to the topic and lead the ensuing discussion. All discussions are Tuesday noon on the Memorial Union Terrace (Lakefront Cafeteria , now renamed to STRADA, in the event of bad weather). Anyone interested in facilitating a topic should contact Myrna Casebolt.

Short List


Topics

May 9, 2017

Topic: Lessons learned from the seminars

Facilitator: Myrna Casebolt

Reading: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Chaos and Complexity


May 16, 2017

Topic: Lessons learned from the seminars (continued)

Facilitator: Clint Sprott

Reading: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Chaos and Complexity


May 23, 2017

Topic: Prediction and explanation in social systems

Facilitator: Blaise Thompson

Reading: Prediction and Explanation in Social Systems (full text in email)


May 30, 2017

Topic: Prediction and explanation in social systems (continued)

Facilitator: Karen Holden

Reading: To Explain or to Predict?


June 6, 2017

Topic: What is a complex system?

Facilitator: Clint Sprott

Reading: Wikipedia article on Complex System (and references therein)


June 13, 2017

Topic: The electoral college

Facilitator: David Canon

Reading: The Pros and Cons of the Electoral College and National Popular Vote

June 20, 2017

Topic: Tribalism, and the psychology of liberals and conservatives

Facilitator: Deric Bownds

Reading: Tribalism, and the Psychology of Liberals and Conservatives


June 27, 2017

Topic: The meaning of words

Facilitator: Jim Blair

Reading: Politics and the English Language


July 11, 2017

Topic: Complexity in clinical medicine

Facilitator: Guillermo Dopico

Reading: The Clinical Applications of a System Approach and The Limits of Reductionism in Medicine


July 18, 2017

Topic: Lessons from Friedman's "Thank you for Being Late"

Facilitator: Bernard Friedlander

Reading: Can we Better Understand Complexities of Human Development?


July 25, 2017

Topic: Networks

Facilitator: George Hrabovsky

Reading: Introduction to Network Mathematics


August 1, 2017

Topic: Fractal aesthetics

Facilitator: Clint Sprott

Reading: Elegant Fractals


August 8, 2017

Topic: Artificial intelligence

Facilitator: Deric Bownds

Reading: The Real Threat of Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence is Stuck and A.I. Dystopia


August 15, 2017

Topic: AI evolution and agency

Facilitator: Terry Allard

Reading: The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence and Discussion Points


August 22, 2017

Topic: The dynamics of empire

Facilitator: Bob Reuschlein
 
Reading: Booklet for Peace Economics


August 29, 2017

Topic: Our perception of time

Facilitator: Jeff Mattox

Reading: The Science of Time Perception


September 5, 2017

Topic: End of summer wrap-up

Facilitator: Jeff Mattox

Reading: Chaos and Complex Systems Summer Sessions