Department of Philosophy

Permanent URI for this community

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/56

Browse

Browsing Department of Philosophy by Author "Benfield, Ian Lindsay"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Our complex world : understanding it, living in it, sustaining it
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-12) Benfield, Ian Lindsay; Hattingh, J. P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: We live in a complex world. We have questions and face problems that defy conventional reductionist approaches to finding answers and solutions. This is because we find ourselves dealing with complex systems that are dynamic, self-organizing and adaptive, while maintaining a balance between static order and chaotic change. The Earth, or Gaia, is such a system. So is the biosphere, and so is an ecosystem, an economy, a business and any living organism, including homo sapiens. By concentrating on the connections and interactions between entities, and not things in themselves, complexity research is enabling us to grasp a better understanding of the spontaneous, self-organizing dynamics of our world. Complexity studies can have an enormous impact on the conduct of economics, business and politics. This thesis describes the characteristics of complex systems, analyzes the Earth and its evolutionary story as a complex adaptive system, discusses how we can harness complexity, and how through cooperating and caring we can survive and even prosper in the world of today. A pluralistic moral 'world vision' is argued for, founded on an ethics of universal compassion for all living things, that can lead to responsible and pragmatic action. As human beings, if 'He are to uplift the poor and restore and preserve the ecology of the Earth, what will be required is a major transformation of our environmentally destructive world economy into one that can sustain progress and human flourishing. This will entail a change of mind and heart, a sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. The challenges we face are immense. However, there are encouraging signs that worldwide people are becoming increasingly aware of what is called for. More and more people are showing their willingness to rise to the occasion. It is a time of transition. It is complex, daunting, yet exciting.