Title :
Towards resolving “the two cultures” divide: Dynamic mental mapping for mediating commonalities to mitigate societal destabilizations?
Author :
Zessner, Walter W.
Author_Institution :
George Brown Coll., Toronto, ON, Canada
Abstract :
The Two Cultures (C. P. Snow, 1959) identifies the humanities and the sciences in "mutual incomprehension" that persists as an unresolved divide. To narrow such gaps suggests finding commonalties for integrating resolutions. C. P. Snow proposed strengthening a Third Culture as an essential mainstream mediating influence. The Tragedy of the Commons (1968), advanced by the environmentist Garrett Hardin, expanded The Two Cultures thesis for a human ecology with cognitive filters in disproportional or optimal balance. Thus humanistic "literate," scientific "numerate," and mediating "ecolate" filtering can assume complementing or distorting divides. Relating dynamic variance between humanistic human-centric and scientific techno-centric orientations implies systemic analysis options for mediations, possibly for the narrowing of "knowledge gaps " and Ingenuity Gaps (T.Homer-Dixon) that retard societal renewals. Mental model analysis that is only "frame of reference" based remains dynamically insufficient. For discerning interactions, a variable Venn diagrams may illustrate simplifying complexities for mental mapping, possibly as a Boolean Dynamic (Stuart Kauffman). Positioning analysis methods are not expected to provide solutions or choices, just as nautical and GPS instruments do not impose directions. This suggests analogously an infrastructure for a Conceptual Positioning System potentially related as Steps to Ecology of Mind (Gregory Bateson, 1972).
Keywords :
Boolean functions; ecology; humanities; social sciences; Boolean dynamic; Venn diagrams; cognitive filters; dynamic mental mapping; human ecology; humanistic human-centric orientations; humanities; mediating commonalities; positioning analysis; scientific techno-centric orientations; societal destabilizations; Analysis of variance; Cognitive science; Environmental factors; Filtering; Filters; Global Positioning System; Humans; Instruments; Mediation; Snow;
Conference_Titel :
Science and Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH), 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference
Conference_Location :
Toronto, ON
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-3877-8
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-3878-5
DOI :
10.1109/TIC-STH.2009.5444425