6 replies to this topic

[benbakelaar]

as reported on wired news:

BERLIN, Germany -- For more than six hours here on Saturday, in the middle of the square best known for Nazi book-burning, 112 artists, activists and intellectuals will answer the world's most pressing questions as submitted and rated by you, the internet community.

http://www.wired.com...l?tw=wn_index_8

the event:
http://www.droppingk...bin/dk?ph=event


If anyone wants to answer my submitted question

What is an appropriate unifying paradigm to describe our developing techno-global society, which can replace the dichotomy of the globalizing/localizing paradigm which has polarized and fractured productive debate in academia, politics, and activism?

And finally, this is a cool idea to replicate anywhere... why not in cartography, on CartoTalk, via text posts, or webcam recordings, or audio recordings?

[Hans van der Maarel]

Hmmm...

I'm going to have to look up some of the words in your question, Ben...

In the meantime, let me ask my question:

"Why?"

[benbakelaar]

Hans are you asking why the event should even take place?

Sorry for my academese wording. I'm basically asking, can any of these 112 people think of a new way to view the world so its not stuck in the oppositional, either/or views that currently exist, such as "global vs. local", "capitalism vs. terrorism", "democracy vs. autocracy", and whatever else.

[mdsumner]

I think Carl Sagan answered this best:

Pale Blue Dot

[Hans van der Maarel]

Hans are you asking why the event should even take place?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, just a "why?" in a broader sense.

[Matthew Hampton]

What is an appropriate unifying paradigm to describe our developing techno-global society, which can replace the dichotomy of the globalizing/localizing paradigm which has polarized and fractured productive debate in academia, politics, and activism

James Loveloack and Lynn Margulis had it years ago - it's called the Gaia Hypothesis - but it needs a new name as it was co-opted by the New Agers and branded 'bad science' in the '90's.

[benbakelaar]

What is an appropriate unifying paradigm to describe our developing techno-global society, which can replace the dichotomy of the globalizing/localizing paradigm which has polarized and fractured productive debate in academia, politics, and activism

James Loveloack and Lynn Margulis had it years ago - it's called the Gaia Hypothesis - but it needs a new name as it was co-opted by the New Agers and branded 'bad science' in the '90's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I'm certainly familiar with Carl Sagan, and the Gaia hypothesis as well... I am gonna have to look more into the connections! I don't immediately see the new paradigm.