Synergetics

Description

Synergetics' is a concept and book by Buckminster Fuller, referring to the concept of either the output of a system not foreseen by the simple sum of the output of each system's part. A 'synergy' can also be defined as 'all sides contribute, and all sides win and recieve the collective output of all contributing". Such a concept we can see being active in human interaction like Co-intelligence, or even obvious applications like a wiki itself. To provide a formal basis to this idea of Synergy, Buckminster Fuller created a whole new geometrical system, the "Synergetics". Contrary to classical euclidian geometry, synergetics deals with aspects such as the strength or the stability of forms, and is therefore especially adapted to applied geometry, such as architecture, or to understand the way nature uses forms. For instance, the triangle is a stabler structure than the square: create a triangle by putting together three rods in iron; try to "destroy" a triangle by pushing one of its sides: it is almost impossible. Now,do a square with four rods. Push one of the side. the square almost immediatelyy collapse. the only way to make a square stable is to triangulate it: using a diagonal to create two triangles. This example shows that some forms have a better "synergy" than others. From this knowledge, one may create new technological devices. For instance, the geodesic dome, the architectural structure for which fuller is famous, use the synergy of the triangles to become much more stable, for less material, than classical cubic buildings. Fuller's new geometrical forms play also a groing role in the new field of nanotechnology: some molecules have been labelled fullerenes in reference to his work.Butr fuller never hesiate to use his concepts in fields unrelated to architecture: it is, as the "Synergetics" book subtitle shows, a "geometry of thinking" aimed at completely revolutionize our way of thinking. The knowledge of synergy, according fuller, may permit the the development of "ephemeralisation" (doing more with less) and contribute to the accelerating acceleration of progress (of which the Moore's law is the most striking example). In the beginning of his essay "The Magic Cauldron", Raymond aknowledge the relationship between Fuller's ephemeralization and the way free software is developped.

Links: A Fuller explanation by Amy Edmondson : http://www.angelfire.com/mt/marksomers/40.html an online book, probablyu the best introduction to Fuller's synergetics Synergetics: http://www.rwgrayprojects.com/synergetics/synergetics.html The Fuller's "Bible", now online.