This site serves as a preview of the dissertation work of Kent Palmer, Ph.D. (See kentpalmer.info) for a thesis with the title The Foundations of Emergent Meta-systems Theory and Practice (this title may change) under the auspices of Defense and Systems Institute (DASI) [formerly Systems Engineering & Evaluation Center (SEEC)] at the University of South Australia. Everything on this site is copyrighted and not meant for distribution except for personal study and constructive critique for the enlightenment of the author in order to help him toward his research goal.
Degree awarded 2009.12.17
For further information see ArchonicNet.
The adviser for this project is Dr. Tim Ferris.
General Description of Research
Newer Short Version
The Foundations of Emergent Meta-systems Theory and Practice
Considers the role of a generalization of systems theory in systems engineering. That generalization of systems theory is called General Schemas Theory and Special Schemas Theory. It generalizes by considering the relation of the "systems" schema to other schemas like "form", "pattern", "openscape", "domain", etc. Emergent Meta-systems is a combination of the systems schema and the three special schemas into an emergent higher level construct which encompasses several schemas at the same time. These extensions to general systems theory have implications for the mathematical and philosophical foundations of Systems Engineering Theory and Practice. See research page at http://holonomic.net
Older Long Version
My research concerns The Foundations of Emergent Meta-systems Theory and Practice. In general it is aimed at what is called General Schemas Theory of which Systems Theory is one example. General Schemas Theory includes other kinds of schemas such as Pattern, Form, Meta-system, Domain, World, Kosmos as well as other schemas which are projected upon things in the world, especially in practical pursuits like the Systems Engineering Architectural Design Process. Special Systems are certain peculiar schemas that show up as emergent thresholds of organization between the System and Meta-systems schemas that have some unusual properties. There are three special systems called Dissipative Ordering, Autopoietic Symbiotic, and Reflexive Social. These together with the normal Systems Schema produce the Emergent Meta-system meta-schema complex. The research is ultimately directed at trying to understand better the Emergent Meta-system meta-schema. I am now involved in writing a series of working papers called the "Anti-Thesis" which is reviewing all the various schemas that I know of at this time. Once this review has been accomplished I intend to write another series of working papers called the "Thesis" which will explore the Special Systems in relation to this background. The emphasis is upon the philosophical and theoretical aspects of the schemas and their interrelations as well as their implications for practice. Then third series of working papers will hopefully be written called the "Synthesis" that will concentrate on the Emergent Meta-system. Previous efforts to attempt to understand this series of schemas can be viewed at http://archonic.net. The current research hopes to bring all of these schemas into greater focus and make them more accessible and clear to our understanding as a basis for extending Systems Theory and Engineering Practice to other schemas and thereby lay the foundations for understanding General Schemas theory and practice. It is hoped this work will lead to an as expansion of Systems Theory and Systems Engineering into a new horizon of theoretical sophistication and practical competence. At this time only about three schemas (pattern, form, system) are regularly used by practitioners. General Schemas theory would attempt to comprehend as many as possible of the available schemas developed in the scientific literature in response to various problems and phenomena. The goal is to understand schemas theory as a whole in itself and how that grounds our understanding of the various schemas. But further the goal is to understand the role of the Special Systems and the Emergent Meta-systems schemas within this context of General Schemas Theory. These special schemas have very strange and unique properties that deserve our theoretical attention. An analogy that might be of use is the relation of String Theory to the Standard Model in Physics. The attempt to develop a General Schemas Theory and its exploration of the Special Schemas and their interaction is like string theory in relation to the current practice in Systems Theory and Systems Engineering which is like the standard model of physics. In other words the goal is to stretch our understanding of Systems Theory as the basis of Systems Engineering as far as possible using postmodern philosophy and recent developments in systems theory and mathematics in order to get a glimmer of what the future of our discipline might be like.
Research Proposal circa 2003
Longer Explanation of Research Program circa 2006
Dissertation Online as of 2010.02.22
Working Papers
The working papers for this dissertation has these parts:
General Schemas Theory
Kent Palmer, Ph.D.
Beware -- This is an unedited draft.
Genealogy of General Schemas Theory
Plato and the Development of the Form Schema
Plato and the Problematic of Schematization
Plato and the Names of the Gods
. . . unfinished commentary . . .
Foundations of General Schemas Theory
General Schemas Theory version published at CSER 2004
A Framework for Exploring General Systems Theory submitted to SETE 2004 accepted but not given
An Application to Systems Engineering of a Framework of General Schemas Theory submitted to CSER 2005
Negative Dimensionality and General Schemas Theory
Pascal Simplicies and General Schemas Theory
N-Category Theory and General Schemas Theory
Next Steps toward General Schemas Theory: An Interlude
The Metaphysics of Emergence and General Schemas Theory
Transformational Schematic Representation, Repetition, and Mimesis across Dimensions
A Dialectical, as well as Geometrical and Algebraic, Model of System and Meta-system Synergies. submitted to SETE 2004 accepted but not given
. . . finished . . .
A Strange Kind of Being Emerges
The Future and Past of Schemas Theory
. . . finished . . .
A Possible Nondual Renaissance within the Western Worldview
Nonduality and the Western Worldview:
Nondual Science in a Broader Context
A Candidate Theory of a Nondual Science
The Anatomy of a Nondual Science Theory:
Looking Closer at the Theory of Special Systems
Theoretical Models and Images in Nondual Science:
Modern Theories and Ancient Images that Approximate the Model of Nondual Science and the other Open Horizons of Research
Mathematical and Physical Anomalies in Nondual Science:
Hypercomplex Algebras, Nonorientable Surfaces and other Anomalies
Emergent Meta-systems and Nondual Science:
Dynamics of the Special Systems and the production of Gaia
Schematization and Nondual Science
The Foundations of Holonomics
Nondual Science Heuristics
The basis for Traditional Sciences based on Nondual Science
Horizons of Exploration within a World of Discovery
Thinking through Nonduality
An Exploration of the Foundations of Nonduality
Questioning the Terminology of Nonduality
An Exploration of the Foundations of Nonduality
A Framework for the Science of Nonduality (written)
Fundamentals of a Science of Nonduality
. . . finished . . .
Applications
A Critique of SysML from the point of view of General Schemas Theory submitted to CSER 2005
Beyond Dynamic Ontologies to N-ontologies and the foundations of
Emergence in Fundamental Ontology accepted for Dynamic Ontology Conference
Self-Adaptation, Self-Organization and Special Systems Theory
Quantum Games and Meta-systems Theory
end working papers for dissertation
Foundations of General Schemas Theory
Chapter 1. Introduction to the Foundations of General Schemas Theory
Chapter 2. Prolegomena to any Future General Schemas Theory
Chapter 3. Mathematical Foundations of General Schemas Theory
Chapter 4. Schematization of the Schemas in the Meta-schematic Field
Chapter 5. Higher Synergetics and Syzygies of the Meta-Schematic Field
Chapter 6. Theory of the Microgenesis of Schemas
Chapter 7. Negative Metan-dimensionality
Chapter 8. The Genesis of the Schemas from the Singularity in the Meta-system
Chapter 9. Worldview Structure and Spacetime Symmetries and Asymmetries
Chapter 10. Conceptualization and the Meta2-worldview (Meta-knot) field
Chapter 11. Afoundationalism in Schemas Theory
. . . finished . . .
Dissertation
final version
Emergent DesignExplorations in Systems Phenomenology in relation to Ontology, Hermeneutics and the Meta-dialectics of Design
Direct Link to Dissertation if School Link does not workThis dissertation draft corrected and revised has been accepted by the Readers as the culmination of this research project .
The final version was dated 9/28/2009 at the time of acceptance.
Corrections where submitted 11/9/2009 (v75 CD5d).
Degree award December 17 2009. . . finished . . .
Radical Knowledge Discovery and Emergence
Society for Chaos in Psychology and the Life Sciences
Special Systems Theory briefing (ppt) (pdf)
Meta-systems, Complexity and Emergence .ppt
talk mp3
Emergence and Complexity in relation to General Schemas Theory
Exploring Intelligent Entreprise System Limitations (accepted)
Toward an Intelligent Military Enterprise:
An Introduction to an Approach to Joint Forces based on Meta-systems Theory
The Evolving Joint Perspective and Meta-systems Theory:
A Case Study based on the Joint Vision Document (accepted)
INCOSE LA Mini 2005 Conference Presentation of Same Talk
Proposed "Integral Systems Engineering Methodology" Architectural Design Language pdf
CSER Conference April 15 & 16 2004 Draft Presentations and Papers
See http://www.usc.edu/dept/engineering/cser/
Final version E of General Schemas Theory short paper MSWord
Preliminary version General Schemas Theory short paper MSWord
General Schemas Theory long paper MSWord
Comments on Paper by Anonymous Readers
Final thirteenth version for CSER Presentation Power Point -- Presented at Conference Short Version
Audio presentation of talk at conference MP3 WAV
Report on the aftermath of a conversation:
Towards a Possible Approach to Metasystems as Escapements :
On a Simple Geometrical and Algebraic Representation of Emergence pdf
which led to . . .
A Dialectical, as well as Geometrical and Algebraic, Model of System and Meta-system synergies. submitted to SETE 2004 late
end draft of occasional papers
ISSS Conference July 4th thru July 9th 2004
See ISSS.org
Final Papers:
From General Systems Theory to General Schemas Theory .doc
Conference Talk .mp3
Presentation .ppt
Science and the Metaphysics of Emergence .doc
Conference Talk .mp3
Presentation .ppt
end ISSS 2004 papers
Dynamic Ontology Sept. 2004 Trinto Italy
See http://www.unitn.it/events/do/
Conference Talk .mp3
Presentation .ppt
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5298-4422
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