Re: Does anyone have information...

["John Kineman" <***>]

Buz Holling is indeed a giant in ecology and resources management and a
complexity thinker in his own way. He invented "adaptive management"
which is the idea of monitoring the results of management practices to
see if results commute with intentions. I can see adaptive management
explained in a modeling relation easily - so I'd say he has many
convergent thoughts. The point is that a complex system can't be
expected to behave according to one's management model of it, so one has
to iterate the process of management. Surprising how even this basic
idea has taken so long to be incorporated into policy and there are many
resources management programs that still don't do it.

Steve Pacala is a well-respected author in global ecology (global
change, etc.). Some of his papers are required reading in the graduate
Global Ecology class taught at the University of Colorado. I'm not sure
how much he is into the complexity idea, and his strong involvement in
mathematical modeling would most likely create some psychological
boundaries to fully embracing Rosen's stuff. But if he is willing to be
open and nice about it, it would be a very good endorsement to get
global system science people looking at Rosen. My colleague and advisor
at CIRES, Carol Wessman, is similarly intrigued, but skeptical as a
result of her mechanistic training. Most ecologists are mechanists, but
many are waking up to the need for something else. Using Carol as an
example, she would probably feel much safer talking about RRosen if she
could cite Pacala as a supporter. But of course the danger is that
Pacala might miss the depth of what RR has to offer, so I would edit his
comment carefully.


Judith Rosen wrote:

> I have had a report from Columbia U. Press that the republication of
> Life, Itself in paperback is again postponed-- to autumn of 2004.
> Also, they are thinking of adding a forward to the book, written by
> either of two men whose names I do not recognize. I have done some
> research on both, and as part of that research, I would like to ask
> the list subscribers whether you have any information on these
> individuals. Specifically, are either or both of them "qualified" to
> speak authoritatively about Rosennean Complexity? If you have some
> information and don't feel comfortable posting it on the list, by all
> means please contact me directly. The names are Buzz Holling (Retired
> from University of Florida) and Steve Pacala (at Princeton).
>
> Thanks, folks.
>
> Judith