"Flexibility" is an important concept in ecology, defined by scientist and anthropologist Gregory Bateson as a system's "unused potentiality for change" (Bateson 1972, 200):
A healthy single system of environment combined with high human civilization (is one) in which the flexibility of the civilization shall match that of the environment to create an ongoing complex system, open-ended for slow change of even basic... characteristics.
(Bateson 1972, 494 [my emphasis])
The system retains a "budget of flexibility" in which the resources must be regulated. The budget of the environment matches that of civilization and remains "open-ended for slow change."
What is our world "flexibily" budget today ?
A healthy single system of environment combined with high human civilization (is one) in which the flexibility of the civilization shall match that of the environment to create an ongoing complex system, open-ended for slow change of even basic... characteristics.
(Bateson 1972, 494 [my emphasis])
The system retains a "budget of flexibility" in which the resources must be regulated. The budget of the environment matches that of civilization and remains "open-ended for slow change."
What is our world "flexibily" budget today ?
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