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The evolution of society: an information-processing perspective
This book is concerned with applying the top-down approach of systems engineering to the development of a contribution to our understanding of society and the forces that drive its evolution. It is motivated by my assertion that we are currently at a critical point in this evolution and that a failure to recognise this could have unfortunate consequences. But for such recognition to develop and become prevalent, the public discourse needs to be underpinned by a common view and understanding of society. A view that transcends that of any particular society or any particular current issues, and that, while it acknowledges the important roles played by belief and culture, does not reflect any particular one, and allows us to step back and see society as the basic feature of human existence. The current state of the public discourse, as I observe it here in Australia and also in other parts of the West, is so concerned with the symptoms of a malfunctioning society that a consideration of the underlying causes hardly finds any space, and it is dominated by a commercial culture; it has become mainly a means of promoting our consumer society.
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