A Systemic Perspective on Cognition and Mathematics

434 Pages·4.21 MB·english

by  Forrest J.Y.-L.

1 1 1
COMMUNICATIONS IN CYBERNETICS, COMMUNICATIONS IN CYBERNETICS,
SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Forrest
This book is devoted to the study of human thought, its systemic structure, and the historical
development of mathemati cs both as a product of thought and as a fascinati ng case analysis.
Aft er demonstrati ng that systems research consti tutes the second dimension of modern
science, the monograph discusses the yoyo model, a recent ground-breaking development CA
of systems research, which has brought forward revoluti onary applicati ons of systems o
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research in various areas of the traditi onal disciplines, the fi rst dimension of science. Aft er g
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the systemic structure of thought is factually revealed, mathemati cs, as a product of thought, n
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is analyzed by using the age-old concepts of actual and potenti al infi niti es. In an att empt to it
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rebuild the system of mathemati cs, this volume fi rst provides a new look at some of the most e
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important paradoxes, which have played a crucial role in the development of mathemati cs,
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in proving what these paradoxes really entail. Att enti on is then turned to constructi ng the i
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logical foundati on of two diff erent systems of mathemati cs, one assuming that actual infi nity
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is diff erent than potenti al infi nity, and the other that these infi niti es are the same. This
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volume will be of interest to academic researchers, students and professionals in the areas
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of systems science, mathemati cs, philosophy of mathemati cs, and philosophy of science. Ms
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ABOUT THE BOOK SERIES tc
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Communicati ons in Cyberneti cs, Systems Science and Engineering (CCSSE) is a cross- ti
disciplinary book series devoted to theoreti cal and applied research contributi ons, that cater e v Jeff rey Yi-Lin Forrest
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to a rapidly growing worldwide interest in a cyberneti c and systemic methodology with an
ever-increasing capacity to deal with new challenges in a way that traditi onal science cannot. a o
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The series aims to become a comprehensive reference work on and guide to developments n
within the fi eld and strategies required for bett er implementati on of advances, with a view c
s
to environmental protecti on and sustainable social and economic development. The CCSSE A Systemic Perspecti ve on
series targets all working in theoreti cal and applied fi elds of cyberneti cs, systems science
and engineering, e.g. academics, researchers and consultants, computer and informati on
Cogniti on and Mathemati cs
scienti sts, development and systems engineers, mathemati cians, management cyberneti cists
and systemists, medical scienti sts, and intelligent and manufacturing engineers in industry,
as well as leading decision- and policy-makers.
an informa business
A Systemic Perspective on Cognition
and Mathematics
CommunicationsinCybernetics,SystemsScienceandEngineering
ISSN:2164-9693
BookSeriesEditor:
JeffreyYi-Lin Forrest
InternationalInstituteforGeneralSystemsStudies,GroveCity,USA
SlipperyRockUniversity,SlipperyRock,USA
Volume 1
A Systemic Perspective on
Cognition and Mathematics
JeffreyYi-Lin Forrest
College of Economics and Management,Nanjing University
ofAeronautics andAstronautics,Nanjing,China;and
Department of Mathematics,Slippery Rock University,
Slippery Rock,PA,USA
CRC Press
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Version Date: 20130418
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To my parents – without their patient and comprehensive home teaching I
would not have become who I am today
To my wife and children – Kimberly,Dillon,Alyssa,and Bailey for their love,
support,and understanding

Table of contents
Editorialboard xv
Abouttheauthor xvii
Acknowledgements xix
Preface xxi
PART1
Basics 1
1 Whereeverythingstarts 3
1.1 Systemsresearch:Theseconddimensionofknowledge 4
1.1.1 Abriefhistory 4
1.1.2 Numbersandsystems,whatisthedifference? 4
1.1.3 Challengessystemssciencefaces 5
1.1.4 Intuitionandplaygroundofsystemsresearch 6
1.2 Thebackgroundtothesystemicyoyomodel 6
1.2.1 Thetheoreticalfoundation 7
1.2.2 Theempiricalfoundations 7
1.2.3 Thesocialfoundations 7
1.2.4 Unevennessimpliesspinning 8
1.3 Problemsaddressablebyusingsystemsthinkingandmethodology 8
1.3.1 Kindsofproblemssystemsresearchersaddress 9
1.3.2 Is1+1really2? 10
1.3.3 Anexampleofhowmodernscienceresolvesproblems 11
1.3.4 Newfrontiersofknowledge 12
1.4 Somesuccessfulapplicationsofsystemicyoyosmodel 13
1.4.1 Somerecentachievements 13
1.4.2 Howaworkplaceisseenasaspinningfield 14
1.4.3 Fluidsinyoyofields? 15
1.5 Organizationofthisbook 16
2 Elementarypropertiesofsystemicyoyos 19
2.1 Quarkstructureofsystemicyoyofields 19
2.1.1 Thespinofsystemicyoyos 20
2.1.2 Thequarkstructureofsystemicyoyos 24
viii Table of contents
2.1.3 Thefieldstructureofelectrons 27
2.2 Systemicyoyofieldsandtheirstructures 31
2.2.1 Theformationofyoyofields 31
2.2.2 Classificationofyoyofields 33
2.2.3 TheCoulomb’slawforparticleyoyos 37
2.2.4 Theeddyfieldsofyoyos 39
2.2.5 Movementofyoyodipolesinyoyofields 43
2.2.5.1 Movementofyoyodipolesinuniformyoyofields 44
2.2.5.2 Movementofyoyodipolesinunevenyoyofields 44
2.2.5.3 Theconceptofyoyoflux 45
2.3 Statesofmotion 46
2.3.1 Thefirstlawonstateofmotion 46
2.3.2 Thesecondlawonstateofmotion 47
2.3.3 Thethirdlawonstateofmotion 49
2.3.4 Thefourthlawonstateofmotion 51
2.3.5 Validityoffigurativeanalysis 52
PART2
The mind 55
3 Humanbodyasasystem 57
3.1 Systemsandfundamentalproperties 57
3.1.1 Systems:Whatarethey? 57
3.1.2 Structuresandsubsystems 60
3.1.3 Levels 63
3.2 Lookingathumanbodymoretraditionally 64
3.2.1 BasicelementsofChinesetraditionalmedicine 64
3.2.2 BriefhistoryofChinesetraditionalmedicine 65
3.2.3 Moderninterestinacupuncture 66
3.2.4 Themeridiansystem 66
3.3 Systemanditsenvironment 69
3.3.1 Environments 69
3.3.2 Opensystemsandclosesystems 70
3.3.3 Systemsondynamicsets 70
3.3.4 Dynamicsubsystems 71
3.3.5 Interactionsbetweensystems 74
3.4 Agrandtheoryaboutmanandnature 75
3.4.1 TaoTeChing:Theclassic 75
3.4.2 ThepurposeofTaoTeChing 76
3.4.3 ModernsystemsresearchinTaoTeChing 76
3.4.4 Somefinalwords 80
4 Thefourhumanendowments 81
4.1 Self-awareness:Thefirstendowment 83
4.1.1 Theoriginofself-awareness(self-consciousness) 84
Table of contents ix
4.1.2 Existenceofcoreidentity 86
4.1.3 Self-consciousnessandselectionofthoughtsandactions 86
4.1.4 Self-awarenessandculturalemphasis 87
4.1.5 Maintenanceofself-motivationandself-determination 89
4.2 Imagination:Thesecondendowment 89
4.2.1 Mechanismoverwhichimaginationworksandfunctions 89
4.2.2 Formationofphilosophicalvaluesandbeliefs 91
4.2.3 Imaginationmoreimportantthanknowledge? 92
4.2.4 Howimaginationreassemblesknownideas/factsfor
innovativeuses 93
4.2.5 Imaginationconvertsadversities,failures,andmistakes
intoassets 93
4.3 Conscience:Thethirdendowment 94
4.3.1 Thefunctionalityofconscience 94
4.3.2 Conscience,behavior,thoughtandaction 96
4.3.3 Howconscienceisaffectedbyculture 97
4.3.4 Isworldconsciencepossible? 98
4.4 Freewill:Thefourthendowment 99
4.4.1 Systemicmechanismoffreewill 99
4.4.2 Rationalagentsanduncertainty 101
4.4.3 Lawsofnatureandcausaldeterminacy 102
4.4.4 Moralresponsibilityandfreewill 104
4.5 Afewfinalwords 104
5 Characterandthought 107
5.1 Humaneffectiveness 112
5.1.1 Systemicyoyomodelofcharacter 112
5.1.2 Attractionofcharacter 114
5.1.3 Lawsthatgoverneffectiveness 116
5.1.4 Difficultyofbreakingloosefromundesirablehabits 121
5.1.5 Workingwithdesire 121
5.2 Thoughtsandconsequences 121
5.2.1 Formationofthought 122
5.2.2 Thoughtsanddesirableoutcomes 124
5.2.3 Controlling,guiding,anddirectingthemind 126
5.2.4 Mentalcreationandphysicalmaterialization 127
5.2.5 Mentalinertia 128
5.3 Desire 130
5.3.1 Desireintermsofsystemicyoyomodel 130
5.3.2 Originofdesire 133
5.3.3 Powerofdesire 133
5.3.4 Desireandextraordinarycapability 134
5.3.5 Artificialinstallmentofdesire 134
5.4 Enthusiasmandstateofmind 135
5.4.1 Systemicmechanismofenthusiasm 135
5.4.2 Leadershipandenthusiasm 138