Category Archives: Theory, Philosophy, Underpinnings

Underlying ideas, theories, philosophies

Blue Morpho Butterfly Metaphor

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Bob

A quote from Elisabet Sahtouris, at Butterfly Connection. This metaphor has deep social, political and economic implications for our times — and to efforts at building locally self-reliant communities like OMV.. My favorite metaphor for the current world transition, first … Continue reading →

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More on the idea of “holons”

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Bob

From Wikipedia: “Koestler also says holons are autonomous, self-reliant units that possess a degree of independence and handle contingencies without asking higher authorities for instructions. These holons are also simultaneously subject to control from one or more of these higher … Continue reading →

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Sustainable Communities as Holons

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Bob

From John Robb’s Global Guerrillas blog… HOLONS AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE Here’s an excellent parable from Herbert Simon that may help you get your head around how holonic theory works (and why it is useful): Suppose each watch consists of 1000 … Continue reading →

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Slow Money

Posted on June 26, 2011 by Bob

Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered Could there ever be an alternative stock exchange dedicated to slow, small, and local? Could a million American families get their food from CSAs? What … Continue reading →

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Thermodynamics of Organisms and Sustainable Systems

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Bob

Here is an amazing paper by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Institute of Science in Society.  Thermodynamics of Organisms and Sustainable Systems.  The paper is pretty technical, but basically it shows how and why living organisms are “sustainable systems” from a thermodynamics … Continue reading →

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OMV Master Energy Plan? What is it?

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Bob

Overview: As proposed, the Master Energy Plan is something more or less equivalent to the kind of economic analysis typically done for business plans, but for energy instead of dollars. (i.e. KWH in vs KWH out instead of dollars in … Continue reading →

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Biophysical Economics

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Bob

Biophysical Economics: From Physiocracy to Ecological Economics and Industrial Ecology This paper explains why sustainability is not possible under the fractional reserve banking system, or within the framework of current economic theory.  In short, this system — as with ponzi … Continue reading →

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