Monday, September 21, 2015

Re: [Yasmin_discussions] Caring, cooperative, and creative?

Dear Paul,

Thanks. This is useful and informative. These are the tools that allow people to understand what is happening to the planet. The choices we make with what we learn help to determine the future. I'm not very hopeful for the long-term prospects of humanity on the planet, but this is a good foundation for whatever chance we have.

Yours,

Ken


> On 2015Sep21, at 15:18, Paul Fishwick <metaphorz@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> All
> While I generally agree parts of Ken's post, I do want to highlight an effort in which I am heavily involved,
> and then state its relevance to technology. For the past 20 years, I have been a small cog in a State
> of Florida organization: http://www.sbafla.com/methodology/ . This commission has long been concerned
> with public awareness of a fairly complex process where government, industry, insurance, and the
> people come together with respect to the effects of hurricanes emerging from within the atlantic tropical
> basin. The methodologies involved in this process all rely on modeling & simulation (M&S). Thus, to understand
> something about catastrophe and risk, once must have some knowledge of M&S. The commission is
> embarking upon standards for flood (coastal and inland) in addition to wind.
> So, while what is beneath the surface of "technology" (namely, mathematics, science and engineering)
> may not directly contribute to happiness and altruism, cooperation and knowledge can be enhanced with
> M&S knowledge and the sciences behind M&S. If there is any doubt of this, please see the picture blog
> that I edit here: modelingforeveryone.com on behalf of ACM SIGSIM. Many will recognize the global
> importance of these issues: they all have one thing in common — they are being studied, cooperatively
> and with engagement, using models. Want to make a difference in climate change? Begin by understanding
> how the science is developed based on modeling: https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter8.pdf
> "Feel good" and "Let's all be caring" rhetoric doesn't cut it.
> We also should quit using "technology" as a veil for a deeper understanding of our world through mathematics,
> science and engineering. Technology is a byproduct of these more fundamental fields.
> -paul
>


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