Transcending Paradigms

Leverage Points to Intervene in Complex Systems

In early 2016 I read a seminal paper on Leverage Points - places to intervene within a complex system written by Donella Meadows. It would be an understatement to say the paper changed my outlook towards life and the trajectory of my life.

12. Tweaking Constant, Parameter and Numbers: Like changing fees or rules about pollution. It's the easiest to do but doesn't usually shake things up too much and is the most commonly focused on, yet lowest leverage point in any system

11. Adjusting Buffers: Think of buffers like the shock absorbers in a car. Changing their size can make the system more steady or flexible but is still relatively very low leverage.

10. Changing Stock-and-Flow Structures: This is about how fast things move through a system and how much can be stored, like adjusting a dam to control water flow.

9. Delay Lengths: This involves changing the time it takes for actions to have an effect, like speeding up or slowing down processes.

8. Strengthening Feedback Loops: Making sure the system can correct itself faster or more effectively, like turning up the volume on a warning signal.

7. Driving Positive Feedback Loops: Encouraging actions that keep amplifying themselves, like investing in renewable energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

6. Design of Information Flows: Changing who knows what in the system, making sure the right people have the right info to make decisions.

5. Rules of the System: Tweaking the basic rules, like laws or policies, that guide how everyone in the system behaves.

4. Power to Add, Change, or Evolve System Structure: This is about who gets to change the system's rules or structure, like allowing more people to vote on important issues.

3.Goals of The System: Changing what the system aims to achieve, like shifting a business’s focus from making the most money to being environmentally friendly.

2. Mindset or Paradigm Out of Which the System Arises: This is about shifting the deep beliefs and values that the system is built on, like moving from a "use it and throw it away" mindset to a "reduce, reuse, recycle" approach.

1. The Power to Transcend Paradigms: The most powerful spot to intervene, this is about stepping outside the current ways of thinking and coming up with entirely new ways to see and do things.

Meadows argued that if you want to make a big impact, aim for higher leverage points, which are about changing how we think and what we value, not just the details of how things are done.

I've spent ~8 years since down the rabbit hole on systems thinking, compassion, dialogue and consciousness. In fact it's the path that set me up for a deeper appreciate on scriptures like the vedanta and the gita over the last few years.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

I discovered Thomas Kuhn's - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) in my cousins library in early 2021. Here he offers a new way to see how science changes over time, suggesting that instead of science slowly getting better, major changes happen during special times he calls "paradigm shifts."

Paradigm Shifts: Kuhn talks about big changes in science and the idea of "paradigm shifts." A paradigm is the set of rules and practices that scientists agree on. "Normal science" happens when scientists work within these rules to solve problems and learn more.

The Route to Normal Science: Kuhn describes how science starts, with many competing ideas. Eventually, one set of ideas becomes dominant, forming a new paradigm.

The Nature of Normal Science: During normal science, scientists solve small puzzles within the current paradigm. They're not trying to change the rules but to add details and expand knowledge.

The Crisis and the Emergence of Scientific Revolutions: Problems that don't fit the current paradigm pile up, leading to a crisis. This makes scientists look for new explanations, setting the stage for a paradigm shift.

The Nature of Scientific Revolutions: A scientific revolution happens when the old paradigm is replaced by a new one. This changes how scientists view the world and often leads to debates and resistance.

The Invisibility of Revolutions: Paradigms can become so accepted that they go unquestioned until a big challenge arises.

The Resolution of Revolutions: A new paradigm takes over when it proves successful through experiments or solutions. Over time, the scientific community moves to this new paradigm.

Progress through Revolutions: Progress in science isn't just about adding knowledge. It happens as scientists work within paradigms, solving puzzles and expanding what we know.

The Response to Crisis: Scientists often stick to old paradigms, even when faced with problems, because those paradigms shape their view of the world.

The Incommensurability of Paradigms: It's hard to compare paradigms directly because they're based on different views of the world. This can make it difficult for scientists to understand each other across paradigms.

Scientific Communities and Paradigm Shifts: New paradigms often come from younger scientists who challenge the old ways, eventually leading to a shift in the scientific community.

The Inheritance of Anomalies: New paradigms inherit some unsolved problems but also offer new ways to solve them. Science evolves by addressing these challenges.

The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions: Big shifts in science are needed for progress. They open up new ways of understanding and exploring the world.

Progress and Relativism: Kuhn says he's not suggesting all ideas are equally valid. Even though paradigms influence our view, scientific progress is possible, and new paradigms can offer better explanations of the world.

Where Am I going with this?

Off late I've been reflection on -

a. What would a paradigm shift in our understanding of Consciousness look like?

1. From Brain-Centric to Holistic Models: A paradigm shift might move us beyond seeing consciousness as merely a product of brain activity. Instead, we might begin to consider consciousness as a fundamental aspect of the universe, akin to space, time, and matter. This perspective could integrate insights from quantum physics, neuroscience, and philosophy, proposing that consciousness is not localized but pervasive.
2. Interdisciplinary Research: Currently, disciplines studying consciousness often work in silos. A paradigm shift would encourage collaborative research across neuroscience, psychology, computer science, philosophy, and even spiritual traditions to form a more complete picture of consciousness.
3. Technological Innovation: Advances in technology could lead to new methods for exploring consciousness, such as enhanced neuroimaging techniques capable of mapping subjective experience or artificial intelligence models that simulate aspects of consciousness. This could help bridge the gap between subjective experiences and objective measurements.
4. Expanded Definitions: Our understanding of consciousness could broaden to include non-human consciousness (animals, plants, AI systems) as legitimate subjects of study, challenging human-centric views and expanding ethical considerations.

b. What would a paradigm shift in our understanding of Compassion look like?

1. Integrating Compassion into Systems: A shift could involve recognizing compassion not just as an individual trait but as a systemic quality that can be designed into our institutions, including healthcare, education, and governance. This would require new policies and practices that prioritize empathetic and compassionate approaches to solving societal problems. The Center for Systems Awareness at MIT is already doing some incredible work on this end.
2. Compassion Science: The study of compassion could evolve into a distinct scientific discipline, with dedicated research centers exploring its effects on the brain, health outcomes, and societal well-being. This would bolster the empirical evidence for compassion's benefits, influencing public policy and education systems. There are already institutions like Center for Healthy Minds that are looking to cultivate well-being and relieve suffering through a scientific understanding of the mind.
3. Technology and Compassion: We could see the development of technologies aimed at enhancing compassion, such as virtual reality experiences that foster compassion or social networks designed to promote understanding and kindness rather than divisiveness.
4. Global Compassion Movement: A paradigm shift could lead to a global movement that emphasizes compassion as a core human value, influencing international relations, environmental policies, and global health initiatives. This movement would recognize the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of compassionate action for the survival of humanity and the planet. At a micro level this can already be experienced thought contemplative calls hosted by institutions like The Center for Systems Awareness at MIT.

In both cases, a paradigm shift would not only change the theoretical frameworks and methodologies we use to understand consciousness and compassion but also how we embody these concepts in our daily lives, institutions, and global policies. It would reflect a deeper recognition of the interconnectedness of all aspects of life and the importance of nurturing a more conscious, compassionate world.

Quote I'm Pondering

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. - Albert Einstein