Simplifying the Management of Complexity: as Achieved in Nature

Governance scientists Dr Shann Turnbull and Prof James Guthrie AM use stakeholder firms to illustrate how to simplify the management of complexity and use natural laws to transform corporations into common good enterprises to counter global existential risks

Natural Computation of Cognition, from single cells up

At the time when the first models of cognitive architectures have been proposed, some forty years ago, the understanding of cognition, embodiment, and evolution was substantially different from today. So was the state of the art of information physics, information chemistry, bioinformatics, neuroinformatics, computational neuroscience, complexity theory, self-organization, theory of evolution, as well as the basic concepts of information and computation. Novel developments support a constructive interdisciplinary framework for cognitive architectures based on natural morphological computing, where interactions between constituents at different levels of organization of matter-energy and their corresponding time-dependentdynamics, lead to the complexification of agency and increased cognitive capacities of living organisms that unfold through evolution. Proposed info-computational framework for naturalizing cognition considers present updates (generalizations) of the concepts of information, computation, cognition, and evolution in order to attain an alignment with the current state of the art in corresponding research fields. Some important open questions are suggested for future research with implications for further development of cognitive and intelligent technologies

Електрична активність мозку у осіб з різним рівнем егоїзму-альтруїзму

The formation of a human personality and the peculiarities of its social behavior are influenced by both biological characteristics and psychophysiological data. Therefore, in order to determine the prevailing socio-type of personality, it is necessary to take into account all aspects and features that may affect individual-psychological characteristics. In addition, neuromarkers that indicate altruistic and selfish social behavior will show the effective use of neurotrainings for their correction and explain the mechanisms of social adaptation.The aim of the research: to find differences in brain activity of individuals with different social type by registration of their electric activity.Methods: psychological testing method, event-related synchronization/desynchronization method.Results: Individuals with selfish type of social behavior chose selfish stimulus more often than individuals with altruistic type of social behavior. Individuals with selfish type of social behavior show higher indexes of spectrum power in alfa- and betha-range. Desynchronization reaction is typical for individuals with altruistic social behavior; synchronization reaction is typical for selfish-directed individuals. Synchronization in central and parietal areas in selfish-directed individuals is mostly shown as a reaction to altruistic stimulus; altruistic-directed individuals showed synchronization reaction to the altruistic stimulus in these areas.Conclusions: EEG data in alpha-range suggest that mechanisms of attention are involved for longer time period in the individuals with altruistic social behavior type.  The reaction to the opposite type of stimulus is characterized by the same behavioral effects, however, has different electroencephalographic characteristics. The results show the different nature of the subjective reaction to stimuli, which is opposite to the sociotype of the individuals. However, a more detailed analysis indicates a different neurophysiological and subjective component of these reactionsНа формирование человеческой личности и особенностей ее социального поведения влияют как биологические характеристики, так и психофизиологические показатели. Поэтому для определения преобладающего социотипа личности необходимо учитывать все аспекты и особенности, которые могут влиять на индивидуально-психологические характеристики. Кроме того, поиск нейромаркеров проявления альтруистического и эгоистической социального поведения позволит эффективно использовать нейротренингы для их коррекции и объяснить механизмы социальной адаптации.Цель исследования - найти различия в деятельности мозга лиц с различным социотипом путем регистрации их электрической активности.Методы: метод психологического тестирования, метод синхронизации / десинхронизации, связанный с событиями.Результаты: лица с эгоистичным типом социального поведения чаще выбирали эгоистические стимулы, чем лица с альтруистическим типом социального поведения. Высокие показатели мощности спектра в альфа- и бета-диапазоне обнаруживаются у лиц с эгоистичным типом социального поведения. Реакция десинхронизации характерна для людей с альтруистическим социальным поведением; реакция синхронизации характерна для эгоистически направленных человек. Синхронизация в центральной и теменной участках в эгоистически направленных лиц преимущественно отображается как реакция на альтруистический раздражитель. Для альтруистически направленных лиц характерна реакция синхронизации на альтруистические стимулы в этих участках.Выводы: ЭЭГ-данные в альфа-диапазоне указывают на то, что механизмы внимания привлекаются на более длительный период времени у лиц с альтруистическим типом социального поведения. Реакция на противоположный тип раздражителя характеризуется теми же поведенческими эффектами, однако, имеет различные электроэнцефалографические характеристики. Полученные данные указывают на различный характер субъективной реакции на стимулы, по своему типу противоположные социотипу испытуемого. Однако более детальный анализ указывает на разный нейрофизиологических и субъективный компонент этих реакцийНа формування людської особистості та особливостей її соціальної поведінки впливають як біологічні характеристики, так і психофізіологічні показники. Тому для визначення переважаючого соціотипу особистості необхідно враховувати усі аспекти та особливості, які можуть впливати на індивідуально-психологічні характеристики. Крім того, пошук нейромаркерів прояву альтруїстичної та егоїстичної соціальної поведінки дозволить ефективно використовувати нейротренінги для їх корекції та пояснити механізми соціальної адаптації.Мета дослідження – знайти відмінності в діяльності мозку осіб із різним соціотипом шляхом реєстрації їх електричної активності.Методи: метод психологічного тестування, метод синхронізації / десинхронізації, пов'язаний з подіями.Результати: особи із егоїстичним типом соціальної поведінки частіше вибирали егоїстичні стимули, ніж особи із альтруїстичним типом соціальної поведінки. Вищі показники потужності спектру в альфа- і бета-діапазоні виявляються в осіб із егоїстичним типом соціальної поведінки. Реакція десинхронізації характерна для людей з альтруїстичною соціальною поведінкою; реакція синхронізації характерна для егоїстично спрямованих осіб. Синхронізація в центральній і тім'яній ділянках в егоїстично спрямованих осіб переважно відображається як реакція на альтруїстичний подразник. Для альтруїстично спрямованих осіб характерна реакція синхронізації на альтруїстичні стимули в цих ділянках.Висновки: ЕЕГ-дані в альфа-діапазоні вказують на те, що механізми уваги залучаються на триваліший періоду часу у осіб з альтруїстичним типом соціальної поведінки. Реакція на протилежний тип подразника характеризується тими ж поведінковими ефектами, однак, має різні електроенцефалографічні характеристики. Отримані дані вказують на різний характер суб'єктивної реакції на стимули, за своїм типом протилежні соціотипу досліджуваного. Проте детальніший аналіз вказує на різний нейрофізіологічний і субєктивний компонент цих реакці

Natural Computational Architectures for Cognitive Info-Communication

Recent comprehensive overview of 40 years of research in cognitive architectures, (Kotseruba and Tsotsos 2020), evaluates modelling of the core cognitive abilities in humans, but only marginally addresses biologically plausible approaches based on natural computation. This mini review presentsa set of perspectives and approaches which have shaped the development of biologically inspired computational models in the recent past that can lead to the development of biologically more realistic cognitive architectures. For describing continuum of natural cognitive architectures, from basal cellular to human-level cognition, we use evolutionary info-computational framework, where natural/ physical/ morphological computation leads to evolution of increasingly complex cognitive systems. Forty years ago, when the first cognitive architectures have been proposed, understanding of cognition, embodiment and evolution was different. So was the state of the art of information physics, bioinformatics, information chemistry, computational neuroscience, complexity theory, selforganization, theory of evolution, information and computation. Novel developments support a constructive interdisciplinary framework for cognitive architectures in the context of computing nature, where interactions between constituents at different levels of organization lead to complexification of agency and increased cognitive capacities. We identify several important research questions for further investigation that can increase understanding of cognition in nature and inspire new developments of cognitive technologies. Recently, basal cell cognition attracted a lot of interest for its possible applications in medicine, new computing technologies, as well as micro- and nanorobotics. Bio-cognition of cells connected into tissues/organs, and organisms with the group (social) levels of information processing provides insights into cognition mechanisms that can support the development of new AI platforms and cognitive robotics

A Fractal Epistemology for Transpersonal Psychology

The role of science has been controversial within the nascent field of transpersonal psychology. Traditional linear and reductionist models are insufficient to address rare and unreproducible states of mind, fringe rather than normative experiences, and highly personal or culturally specific aspects of awareness. Through a fractal epistemology this paper introduces novel metaphors, models, and methods within a more holistic, organic, and synthetic branch of science. Principles of the epistemology illuminate observer dependence, fuzzy boundaries, recursive patterns, and higher dimensional phenomena that emerge within the infinite expanses between ordinary, finite (Euclidean) dimensions

Neural and Psychological Coordination in Social Communication and Interaction

Dynamic, naturalistic study of social interactions in humans is a small but growing literature. Emerging from this work is the theory that social interaction creates a “merged mind” between interlocutors – they come into psychological, behavioral, and neural alignment in order to better predict each other and coordinate as one social unit. However social interaction is diverse, so more work is needed to understand the specific nature of alignment between people in a variety of interactive contexts. In particular, it’s unclear how heterogeneities among members of an interaction impact their ability to align. This work aims to help address this gap by first evaluating and improving ways to collect neuroimaging data in naturalistic, social settings (Chapter 2). Then, empirical research is presented that examines how personal similarity factors impact the extent of alignment during personal disclosure interactions, where one person speaks and the other listens (Chapter 3). Finally, further empirical research investigates different types of alignment that may be present in a dyadic back-and-forth discussion in a joint decision-making paradigm. How this work contributes to a broader understanding of the ways people communicate and work together, and how this research can continue with improved methods, is discussed

How cybernetics explains behavioural tensegrity and its advantages for society

This article explains the crucial role of the paradoxical dual contrary~complementary but interdependent properties of tensegrity. It is a neglected phenomenon in understanding how living things and their social organisations can become self-regulating and self-governing. Tensegrity is a defining feature of the architecture of nature. It is the driver of evolution. Organisations that include tensegrity into a polycentric self-governing process identified by Ostrom establish a basis from which to form an ecological form of governance for citizens to self-govern the sustainability of their host bioregions for the global common good. This requires engineering system scientists working with social scientists in educating students to become governance architects to custom design ecological firms. Research opportunities are identified in six hypotheses that include fundamental aspects of the universe

Polycentric self-governance and Indigenous knowledge

This article's main aim is to discuss research exploring how the self-governing practices found in Indigenous societies, biota and modern organisations can be embedded into the constitutions of legal entities to protect and share the wellbeing of humanity, biota and the planet. In this paper, we explore how Australian Indigenous knowledge and practices can be embedded into organisational entities and discuss how this can be achieved by reformatting Ostrom's design principles to be incorporated into corporate constitutions following an ecological form of governance practised by Indigenous Australians. This form of polycentric self-governance can aggregate the voices of minorities representing local environments up to a global level. We use case studies, system science and biomimicry to explore polycentric self-governance and how organisations can adopt it to focus on the wellbeing of all stakeholders. In particular, the paper highlights how Indigenous knowledge can contribute globally to achieving societal sustainability