SIG Co-Chair: Alexander Laszlo and Judith Rosen

alexander@syntonyquest.org / judithrosen@earthlink.net

You are cordially invited to participate in the 56th annual meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS). Specifically, we hope you will consider contributing a paper and/or poster for presentation in the Evolutionary Development SIG (Special Integration Group) that it is our pleasure to co-chair. This will be the thirteenth year of productive meetings as an intact line of inquiry, the first four under the name of the Evolutionary Learning Community SIG, and the last nine as the ED SIG. We will continue to focus on issues of timely relevance to which ELCs may best be dedicated.

The conference theme and focus on 'service systems / natural systems' provides an exciting platform upon which to catalyze the collective explorations of the ED SIG.

Inquiry in the area of Evolutionary Development involves revision of development notions and strategies, from a systemic and evolutionary perspective, in order to integrate the often isolated areas of human, economic, social, and cultural thrivability. Doing more with less, promoting living simply and meaningfully, and creating an economy of abundance where present and future human needs can be met without compromising the natural environment, are some of the concrete objectives of Evolutionary Development. Evolutionary Learning Communities, as learning environments where people can learn together about the interconnected nature of our world, the ecological impact of our individual and collective choices, and the joy of finding a meaningful way to contribute to the emergence of sustainable and evolutionary futures, are the social units where Evolutionary Development can be set in motion for the ongoing self-organization of human societies in syntony with the planetary life support systems upon which they depend.

Both theoretical analyses relating to the principles and constructs of Evolutionary Development, as well as presentation of explorations and practical applications that foster Evolutionary Development are invited to the ED SIG. This SIG welcomes treatment of themes that include, but are not limited to, consideration of the following topic areas:

• socio-ecological intelligence and the evolution of consciousness
• syntony as an organizing force in societal evolution
• evolutionary thinking and envisioning a thrivable society or protopia
• language, metaphor and narrative in service of strategic conversations that shape reality

While all of the topics listed above will be considered in the ED SIG, this year special emphasis will be given to the question of WHAT ARE THE SYSTEMIC LEVERAGE POINTS FOR CURATING THE EMERGENCE OF A GLOBAL ECO-CIVILIZATION? This will involve an exploration of the pragmatic ideal of integrating the economic, ecological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of evolutionary development through considerations that include:

◦ Holistic Being

◦ Curated Emergence (an aspect of conscious evolution)

◦ Transcendent Consciousness (involving an expansion of the “self” identity)

◦ Systemic Thrivability (also known as apithology; patterns of synergetic symbiosis)

The ED SIG will be run as follows: During the conference itself, no formal paper presentations will be made, even though acceptance of both abstracts and full papers and/or posters is required. In order to be congruent with the general theme of the conference and the specific focus of our inquiry, our sessions will be conducted as learning conversations. Participants will engage first in a generative conversation in which they will have the opportunity to share the core ideas of their work with each other. After the group has attained a basic collective cognitive map of the research and constructs represented in the room, we will to move into a strategic conversation to identify areas of synergy. Once common themes and directions have been identified, we will move into an evolutionary conversation to create new knowledge and insights, and propose further collaborations.

Of course, if there is anything we can help clarify for you with respect to the above, please do get in touch with us.

For further information, please contact:

Alexander Laszlo, Ph.D. - Co-Chair, ISSS ED SIG — 12797 Dupont Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472 - U.S.A. — Tel: ++707/874.6030 (USA) — alexander@SyntonyQuest.org — http://www.SyntonyQuest.org — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Society_for_the_Systems_Sciences#Presidents — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Laszlo_(scientist)

For historical background on the ED SIG, visit The ELC Archives.

See other Special Integration Groups