{"id":3011,"date":"2014-06-08T14:02:33","date_gmt":"2014-06-08T19:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/?page_id=3011"},"modified":"2016-05-29T08:49:35","modified_gmt":"2016-05-29T13:49:35","slug":"the-key-scientific-question","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/the-key-scientific-question\/","title":{"rendered":"The key scientific question"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8220;Why there is\u00a0continuity&#8221;<\/h2>\n<h4><strong>Introduction<\/strong>\u00a0to the general theorem of continuity<\/h4>\n<p>6\/8\/14 draft &#8211; \u00a0\u00a0Perhaps it just seemed too obvious to ask before, or maybe other scientists\u00a0hadn&#8217;t found a reasonable way to do it. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Continuity underlies every principle of physics and all our observations of nature, that &#8220;things are connected&#8221; but also some how all &#8220;individual&#8221; and &#8220;disconnected&#8221; too. \u00a0Still, we find seemingly without exception that the future is built on the past and that change generally incorporates flowing processes of change, but working with\u00a0all sorts of disconnected parts\u00a0. \u00a0 \u00a0I found it\u00a0particularly fascinating, that &#8220;flows&#8221; both contained and often\u00a0turned out to become &#8220;disconnected parts&#8221; of larger scale flows,\u00a0exposing how continuities and discontinuities appear to be mingled at\u00a0every scale of natural designs. \u00a0 My professors and equations simply never spoke about that. \u00a0 \u00a0The implications led me to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><\/li>\n<li>see continuity as a ladder of steps of change<\/li>\n<li>learning to examine finer and finer scales of connections<\/li>\n<li>exposing a number of\u00a0new fields of interest where I could do original research\n<ul>\n<li>starting with\u00a0closely examining &#8220;flows&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>and their stages from beginning to end<\/li>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/NatDevl3tr.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3013\" src=\"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/NatDevl3tr-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Microsoft Word - OddDiagrams.doc\" width=\"409\" height=\"224\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>the theorem<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/drtheo.pdf\">A\u00a0law of emergence and continuity in change<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The way I eventually ch<\/span>ose to answer &#8220;Why is there continuity?&#8221; was with a mathematical proof supported with readily available evidence. \u00a0 The proof demonstrates that the &#8220;first principle of physics&#8221;, <strong>the \u00a0&#8220;conservation of\u00a0energy&#8221;, implies that\u00a0any individual\u00a0event of finite duration needs to originate with a\u00a0punctuated developmental burst of organization and energy flow<\/strong>. \u00a0 Then the review of the evidence strongly suggests that so many of the observable kinds and scales of events clearly fit that model. \u00a0 It suggests that events of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">all<\/span> kinds must be predominantly be &#8220;individual&#8221; and &#8220;finite&#8221;, and so even when &#8220;predictable&#8221;, not &#8220;predetermined&#8221;. \u00a0 \u00a0The proof starts with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>stating the conservation of energy as an equation of change over time,<\/li>\n<li>and then taking successive derivatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That produce<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>an infinite chain of conservation laws<\/li>\n<li>including the other two commonly used ones,\n<ul>\n<li>the conservation of momentum and<\/li>\n<li>the conservation of reaction forces.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The unexpected and all important discovery is that the simple statement of energy conservation, that the sum of energies within a system is constant and finite, implies that the rates of change of energy entering or leaving a system are finite if unconstant, and that,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when reintegrating that infinite series of implications\n<ul>\n<li>for how change in any system is bounded<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>the accumulation of integration constants produce a form of polynomial expansion<\/li>\n<li>defining a very\u00a0general form of exponential or logarithmic curves for\u00a0flowing transitions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An important added &#8216;lemma&#8217; can be left to the reader, that while change in nature is often usefully &#8220;predicted&#8221; by equations, the principle of continuity indicates that\u00a0nature\u00a0clearly cannot be &#8220;occurring&#8221;\u00a0by equations. \u00a0 What seems evident is nature operates by a process of making and then breaking her rules,\u00a0not by following them as we need to use them for.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>The principal evidence<\/h3>\n<p>The principal evidence\u00a0is the everpresent &#8220;S curves&#8221; in our measurements of change,\u00a0that when looked at closely reveal complex organization and with graduated accumulations of change. \u00a0 The trick for following them is perhaps mostly to be patient in searching all the possibilities, as frequently what appear to be breaks in continuity are places where the connections are at some other scale, seen from some other view, or of some other kind. \u00a0 Observation is &#8216;fragmentary&#8217;, but nature is &#8216;holistic&#8217; in profound ways, and the question is then &#8220;Why?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>How one uses\u00a0&#8220;the principle of continuity in change&#8221; I found is for<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>generating focused questions about the\u00a0ascending and then descending scale events<\/li>\n<li>and the corresponding swelling and then subsiding development of accumulative processes,<\/li>\n<li>that nature needs to accomplish any kind of physical change,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>that serve to highlight in the data exactly where there has to be<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>points of origination,<\/li>\n<li>diverging\u00a0developmental processes,<\/li>\n<li>and converging developmental processes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure style=\"width: 351px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/issues\/images\/ladders-to-laddersCO.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/issues\/images\/ladders-to-laddersCO.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"351\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Natural transitions require successive changes of scale, assembling &#8220;ladders to ladders&#8221; up, and down.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0______<\/p>\n<p>p.s. 7\/11\/14<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Links to more general Introductions &amp; Guides:<\/h4>\n<p>Related posts introducing the natural cycle of system transformations and how to use them for researching and responding to the systems of our world include the\u00a0most detailed general diagram: &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/chapters.htm\">Chapters of a whole event<\/a>&#8221; and articles in the general category: &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/category\/scitheory\/\">Scientific Theory<\/a>&#8220;. \u00a0 There&#8217;s also my &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/drwork.htm\">1990&#8217;s\u00a0Archive of empirical studies<\/a>&#8221; and the following recent more general introductions from various approaches:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/09\/21\/in-two-words-what-defines-science\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/09\/21\/in-two-words-what-defines-science\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2614&amp;action=edit\">In two words\u2026 what defines \u201cscience\u201d?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/08\/07\/natural-systems-science_quick-start\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2357&amp;action=edit\">Finding Organization in Natural Systems \u2013 \u201cQuick Start\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/07\/03\/3steps-process-for-working-with-nature\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2310&amp;action=edit\">3Step process for Working With Nature<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/07\/02\/tricky-reading-the-indicator-and-context\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2302&amp;action=edit\">Tricky Reading \u2013 the Indicator &amp; the Context<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/04\/27\/missing-ecological-thinking\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2258&amp;action=edit\">Missing Principles of Ecological Thinking \u2013 in plans for the Earth<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2013\/03\/01\/sustainability-growing-profit-then-steady-profit\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2188&amp;action=edit\">Sustainability = growing profit then steady profit<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2012\/10\/16\/fresh-thinking-for-the-tragedy-of-the-commons\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2064&amp;action=edit\">Fresh Thinking for The Tragedy of the Commons<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2012\/10\/13\/multi-stakeholder-partnerships\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2048&amp;action=edit\">Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2012\/07\/20\/steering-for-the-organizational-lagrange-point\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=1957&amp;action=edit\">Steering for the organizational Lagrange Point<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2012\/03\/31\/steps-to-a-natural-systems-view\/http:\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=1720&amp;action=edit\">Steps to a natural systems view<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/2012\/03\/25\/self-organization-as-niche-making\/\">Self-organization as \u201cniche making\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>JLH<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Why there is\u00a0continuity&#8221; Introduction\u00a0to the general theorem of continuity 6\/8\/14 draft &#8211; \u00a0\u00a0Perhaps it just seemed too obvious to ask before, or maybe other scientists\u00a0hadn&#8217;t found a reasonable way to do it. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Continuity underlies every principle of physics and all our observations of nature, that &#8220;things are connected&#8221; but also some how all &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/the-key-scientific-question\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The key scientific question<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3011","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3011"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3427,"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3011\/revisions\/3427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/synapse9.com\/signals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}