technocracy for a sustanalbe soc nov 2008

OverviewWhy do you want to listen to this talk

anyway?Technocracy – What is it?Technocracy in Europe todayBuilding a sustainable society for a post

carbon world

Who am I?Engineer

Electrical and electronic engineeringScientist

Robotics and distributed AIA little story

Demo fix

problem

cause

Why do you want to listen to this talk anyway?Peak oilGlobal warmingFood crisisOverpopulation

Why do you want to listen to this talk anyway?Resulting behaviour / emergent propertyInteraction

GovernmentsPeopleBig business

Single underlying causeOur socioeconomic system

Case studyMurray-Darling river system, AustraliaExperts warn in May of serious consequences

if it did not receive water by OctoberGovernment differed consideration till

November!Why?

Technocracy – What is it?Overview HistoryTechnocracy in Europe

Technocracy – Overview?Literally – “rule of the skilled”

A rational form of government

Science applied to society

Technocracy – HistoryBeginning 1919 with a book by William

SmythThorstein VeblenTechnical Alliance1933Technocracy Inc.European Movement

Technocracy in EuropeNetwork of European Technocrats (NET)

Began as EcoTech 2004Became NET in 2005Registered in 2006

Technocracy in Europe

Balance!

Technocracy in EuropeSociety

Complex interaction of people and technologyEnergy

People Technology

Holonic SystemsOrgans

Molecules

People sideCommunities based around units of 10 000

peopleUrbanatesNo nations

Legislative councilsDirect democracy

Democracy for the people!Limitations

Basic human rightsCan’t interfere with the technical side

People side Eco-Units

200 peopleSustainable community

Eco-Units form Urbinates of 10 000 peopleUrbinates appoint their own legislative councilOr join up with others to make a lager

legislative councillegislative council form a European

confederationAll examples of holons

People side

Technical sideThe goal

Highest standard of living for the longest time possible

Highest quality of life for the longest time possible

Technical side - organisationTechnical experts should manage and

operate all technical aspects of society.Experts have skill, training and expertise in a

give fieldMedical personalAdministratorsMachine operatorsScientists and engineers

Technical side - organisationLocalisation

Reduce energyDecision making as local as possible where the

experts manage the resourcesA holonic system

holonPart-wholeAutonomousDistributedcoordinators

Technical side - organisation

Technical side - organisationOther holons

Project teamsProject leaders

Expert committees

Technical side - organisationFunctional Sequences

Technical areasDirector for eachHierarchicalMaps onto the holonic structureCommunications’ channelsMaintain the goal

Technical side – Organisation

Technical side - administrationProduction of goodsResource allocationMaterialsEnergy usageMinimise production

Resources Production

Goods

Technical side - administrationEnergy Accounting

Measure energy needed to produce an item

Measure energy availableIssue people with energy creditsPeople allocate energy credits to production to produce goods

Reset accounts after two years

Technical sideWorking in a Technate

4 hours a day4 days a weeksIn shifts

Load factor

More time to be human

Living in a technateUrbanates

Bini Systems

Living in a technateUrbanates

Living in a technateUrbanates http://www.transfuture.net/

Living in a technateUrbanates Arcosanti

People sideUrbanates

Takenaka Corporation

Living in a technateUrbanates

The Venus Project

OverlapEnvironmental design

Provide a positive environmentMinimise crime etc.

EducationTechnical

Methods of teaching Subject matter

People Culture Language

LawMakingenforcing

Building a sustainable society for a post carbon worldTest the ideas out

Using NET as a test platform

Using simulationBuilding a proto-technate

Building a sustainable society for a post carbon worldNot for Profit Organisations

CompaniesCommunitiesA network

ProblemsReduce choicePopulation controlLack of testingImplementation

Do we have the time for this?We can’t implement all at once!

QuestionsMore info at:

http://en.technocracynet.eu

Books:

Technocracy: Building a Sustainable Society for a Post Carbon World – Andrew Wallace

The Best that Money Can’t Buy. – Jacque Fresco

Questions for youCan we apply engineering principles to

society?What new problems might we make?What’s the down side?