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This is a utility site to download documents and access links related to Complexity and Adaptive Management. Some of these documents are available in text format, while others are available in a standardized 'PDF' format. To read PDF files, you will need Adobe Acrobat, Version 3 or higher, which is available through http://www.adobe.com/ as a free download. If your browser has a PDF-compatible plug-in, you can read the documents directly. "The Invisible Wand" pdf file (called OP-034.pdf) should open by double-clicking on it. If you have trouble opening it this way, try opening it from within Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The Invisible
Wand. Click here to download complete PDF file [1.5 M].
Abstract. Ruitenbeek J, Cartier
C. 2001 [May] "The Invisible Wand: Adaptive Co-management as an Emergent
Strategy in Complex Bio-economic Systems." CIFOR, Bogor.
This paper provides
an economic perspective on concepts related to adaptive co-management (ACM).
The discussion is cast within a formal generalized complex systems (CS)
framework.
We
explicitly explore the hypothesis of whether ACM can be regarded as an emergent
strategy under specific conditions. The conditions draw a corollary from the
well-known work of Adam Smith that describes ãself-interestä as a forcing
factor (the ãinvisible handä) that leads to stability and efficiency in
economic systems. In our construct of a complex bio-economic system, we
postulate that an ãaltruistic common interestä can act as a forcing factor (our
ãInvisible Wandä) that leads to certain dominant emergent strategies that
promote long-term sustainability and human well-being. One such strategy, we
hypothesize, is ACM. A key question is whether ACM is something that simply
evolves naturally from within a system or whether it is in fact a legitimate
policy intervention that can be imposed or introduced from the outside.
The specific
hypothesis is meant as an exploratory tool that permits us: (i) to develop in
greater detail a formal definition of the elements of the system within a CS
framework; (ii) to provide economic perspectives on the literature relating to
ACM; (iii) to derive some related empirical lessons from that literature; (iv)
to demonstrate the limitations of existing economic modeling and analytical
constructs for addressing ACM issues; (v) to identify potential policy
linkages; and, (vi) to elaborate research implications.
We suggest
that ACM frequently emerges naturally, and that policy should take a passive
role; trying to ãintroduce ACMä may in fact inherently undermine the policyâs
goals. This passive role should be to protect the conditions for emergence, or
to remove barriers to emergence; among these conditions is preservation of
social capital. Also, policy has a strong education and enabling function that
we call dezombification. In this context, it implies that policies should attempt
to introduce consciousness into the ACM regime. The consciousness and awareness
revolve primarily around the fact that agents are working within a complex
system, that they are capable of learning within that complex system, and that
they can adapt their strategies as a result of such learning. Finally, these
agents should be fully aware that they are capable of changing the rules of the
system if necessary.
External Links referenced in "The Invisible Wand"
o Conservation Ecology (on-line journal)
o David Chalmers, Director, Center for Consciousness Studies
o Zombies and the Function of Consciousness
o Patents
... including Erik Drexler's Engines of Creation
o Institute for Molecular Manufacturing
o CIFOR Adaptive Collaborative Management site, Bogor Indonesia
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