Bulletin Spring 2008, Vol
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SFI Bulletin spring 2008, vol. 23 #1 CONFLICT: WHAT CAN IT TEACH US— ABOUT OUR BRAINS, THE INTERNET, ECOSYSTEMS, AND FINANCIAL MARKETS? The Bulletin of the Santa Fe Institute is Balancing Convention published by SFI to keep its friends and and all of our researchers who contributed to this effort, be considered outliers supporters informed about its work.The and the staff for seeing it to fruition. It’s gratifying on the conventional Santa Fe Institute is a private, indepen- and Risk to Create to know that even though we support research that scientific landscape. dent, multidisciplinary research and sometimes doesn’t quite fit, we can still be successful when For example, David education center founded in 1984. Since its founding, SFI has devoted itself to Transformation we play on the conventional academic playing field. Krakauer, together creating a new kind of scientific research Although this award represents less than 10 percent with Yale History community, pursuing emerging synthe- of our funding (indeed, by design, only about one third Professor John By Geoffrey West, President FE INSTITUTE A sis in science. Operating as a visiting is derived from government sources), it’s extremely Gaddes, is organizing NT A institution, SFI seeks to catalyze new important and we value it tremendously. We need a workshop asking to collaborative, multidisciplinary research; The advent of a New Year is a good time to that credibility and, by extension, the approval from what extent history MPBELL / S to break down the barriers between the A traditional disciplines; to spread its ideas take a retrospective look at some of the developments and the academic community, when it comes to soliciting can be viewed as a and methodologies to other institutions; achievements of last year and to speculate on where the funding from private foundations, universities, and other science. This may © ANDREW C and to encourage the practical application Institute might be headed in the coming year. This issue of government agencies. not be as crazy as it of its results. the Bulletin does some of that. It explores many subjects, Regarding research trends in 2007, we’ve had some sounds; after all, both astronomy and geology are accepted Published by the Santa Fe Institute but a common thread is that of conflict and threat. Topics tremendous successes, as evidenced by the wealth of SFI as “historical sciences.” In addition, we are planning to 1399 Hyde Park Road ranging from the threat of “malware” to the loss of diversity publications and reporting about SFI in books, articles look at law as a complex system. Can we learn something Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA in ecosystems and financial markets are examined from the in professional journals such as Nature and Science, and about jurisprudence, about the conceptual framework of phone (505) 984-8800 broad, big-picture viewpoint characteristic of SFI. in popular publications such as Wired, New Scientist, The law that might impact new emerging legal questions of the fax (505) 982-0565 One of the more gratifying events of 2007 was the Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, and many more. 21st century? home page: http://www.santafe.edu approval of our core umbrella proposal to the National For example, Samuel Bowles’ work on altruism was Another incipient area of exploration is what we are Note: The SFI Bulletin may be read at the website: Science Foundation. Our award is unique because, almost featured in The Atlantic and on National Public Radio. calling international negotiations and complexity. This http://www.santafe.edu/bulletin.html without exception, the NSF typically entertains proposals Michael Mauboussin’s financial wisdom was also featured arose because people involved in international negotiations If you would prefer to read the Bulletin on that are for specific, relatively narrow research projects, at on NPR, as was my own work on scaling and lifespan, as approached us stating that the traditional system of your computer rather than receive a printed least compared to the scale of SFI activities! Our proposal well as on cities and innovation, done with my wonderful diplomacy is broken. They suggested that this system version, contact encompasses a mix of questions ranging from anthropology group of collaborators. Many accolades came to SFI evolved in a “simpler” world of the 19th century where Patrisia Brunello at 505/984-8800, Ext. 2700 and archaeology, through economics, biomedical sciences researchers. Among those recognized were Nina Fedoroff, the negotiating paradigm was “linear and Newtonian”; or [email protected]. and biological sciences, across mathematics, computer named Science and Technology Advisor to the U.S. international relations have changed dramatically and can EDITORIAL STAFF: science and physics, all the way to the interpretation of Secretary of State, who also received the National Medal now be characterized as “complex”! Such a line of thinking Ginger Richardson quantum mechanics and the wave-function of the universe! of Science; David Sherrington won the 2007 Dirac Medal naturally leads to the Santa Fe Institute. Like all of these Lesley S. King Andi Sutherland Despite its good intentions and professed commitment and Prize from the Institute of Physics; Cormac McCarthy new areas of potential investigation we don’t yet know to cross-disciplinary, transformative research, the NSF received the Pulitzer Prize for his book The Road; and both if progress will be made by bringing together unlikely Contributors: doesn’t yet have in place a formal structure for handling Duncan Watts and I were featured in Harvard Business combinations of creative people. It is the very nature of Jenna Beck such unusually broad proposals. Needless to say, this Review’s list of Breakthrough Ideas for 2007 (which meant SFI to explore such avenues, to see if there might be new Devon Jackson Melanie Mitchell put ours at some risk. The “normal” mechanism would that two of the 20 such ideas were associated with SFI). insights provided by a “complexity” lens. Don Monroe break ours into 10 to 15 separate proposals, each In looking at the future, we have a number of exciting A continuous challenge for the Institute is identifying Julie J. Rehmeyer focused on a specific topic within some sub-discipline, research areas we plan to address. This year we began talented people who might be attracted to the spirit of Daniel Rockmore which, of course, is antithetical to a basic philosophy of to recognize that much of the work at the Institute SFI, those exciting minds who really have eclectic, wide James Trefil SFI: transdisciplinary research transcending canonical falls under the umbrella of sustainability: e.g., our tastes, and a passion for some of the big questions that John Whitfield disciplinary boundaries. programs on innovation, robustness, financial markets, transcend traditional boundaries, and who, at the same Jon Wilkins Establishing this and its implications for problems in networks, and those areas that interface with energy, the time, have the powerful technical tools, background and Design & Production: complexity as a major and exciting component of the environment, and organization. While we are not going discipline to execute their ideas. How do we identify those Paula Eastwood research landscape has arguably been SFI’s greatest impact. to solve or provide detailed models of global warming or people and get them on board here as resident faculty? www.eastwooddesignsf.com I am delighted to report that the award was a 30 percent sustainable urban infrastructures, we look to provide a Indeed, I believe this is our major challenge, but one we COVER: simulation OF A malware attaCK; Illustration BY Catalogtree.NET FOR WIRED magaZINE increase over the previous one. It is to the credit of the holistic, integrated conceptual scientific framework for can meet. Our past track record and recent kudos, along printed ON RECYCLED paper NSF that they were willing to entertain our proposal understanding some of these critical world concerns. with the many awards and publications, offer strong despite its unique character. I would like to thank them We are also looking at a series of questions that might encouragement for our future direction. t Santa Fe Institute Bulletin SPRING 2008 1 The Bulletin of the Santa Fe Institute is Balancing Convention published by SFI to keep its friends and and all of our researchers who contributed to this effort, be considered outliers supporters informed about its work.The and the staff for seeing it to fruition. It’s gratifying on the conventional Santa Fe Institute is a private, indepen- and Risk to Create to know that even though we support research that scientific landscape. dent, multidisciplinary research and sometimes doesn’t quite fit, we can still be successful when For example, David education center founded in 1984. Since its founding, SFI has devoted itself to Transformation we play on the conventional academic playing field. Krakauer, together creating a new kind of scientific research Although this award represents less than 10 percent with Yale History community, pursuing emerging synthe- of our funding (indeed, by design, only about one third Professor John By Geoffrey West, President FE INSTITUTE A sis in science. Operating as a visiting is derived from government sources), it’s extremely Gaddes, is organizing NT A institution, SFI seeks to catalyze new important and we value it tremendously. We need a workshop asking to collaborative, multidisciplinary research; The advent of a New Year is a good time to that credibility and, by extension, the approval from what extent history MPBELL / S to break down the barriers between the A traditional disciplines; to spread its ideas take a retrospective look at some of the developments and the academic community, when it comes to soliciting can be viewed as a and methodologies to other institutions; achievements of last year and to speculate on where the funding from private foundations, universities, and other science.