technocracy for a sustanalbe soc nov 2008
DESCRIPTION
Dr. Wallace presents a plan for a sustainable future society. Slides from a lecture given at Umeå University.TRANSCRIPT
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?