Bejan Constructal Theory of Social Dynamics

1. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-387-47681-0
Verlag: Springer-Verlag
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 350 Seiten

brings together for the first time social scientists and engineers to develop a predictive theory of social organization, as a conglomerate of mating flows that morph in time to flow more easily (people, goods, money, energy, information). These flows have objectives (e.g., minimization of effort, travel time, cost), and the objectives clash with global constraints (space, time, resources). The result is organization (flow architecture) derived from one principle of configuration evolution in time (the constructal law): "for a flow system to persist in time, its configuration must morph such that it provides easier access to its streams."

Constructal theory predicts animal design and geophysical flows, and makes evolution a part of physics. In the social sciences, there is substantial literature based on the use of optima to deduce social, population and economic dynamics. The constructal approach of this book links social sciences with physics, biology and engineering. The book explores the deterministic principle that generates a broad array of patterned phenomena, in demography, geography, communications, hierarchy, and multiple scales. Examples are the distribution of living settlements, the occurrence of flow structure inside each settlement, ‘development’ as the relation between fast-flowing societies and advancement and wealth, migration patterns, and globalization.

is novel and important because it puts the occurrence of social organization on a scientific basis. It brings social organization under the same physics principle that accounts for the generation of flow architecture (design) in geophysical flows, animal design, and engineered flows. This exploratory work adds a dose of determinism to the modeling and predicting of societal flows.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bejan, Adrian

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Contents;5
2;Preface;11
3;List of Contributors;15
4;The Constructal Law in Nature and Society;18
4.1;1.1. The Constructal Law;18
4.2;1.2. The Urge to Organize Is an Expression of Selfish Behavior;22
4.3;1.3. The Distribution of Human Settlements;30
4.4;1.4. Human Constructions and Flow Fossils in General;34
4.5;1.5. Animal Movement;39
4.6;1.6. Patterned Movement and Turbulent Flow Structure;46
4.7;1.7. Science as a Constructal Flow Architecture;48
4.8;References;49
5;Constructal Models in Social Processes;51
5.1;2.1. Introduction;51
5.2;2.2. Natural Versus Social Phenomena: An Important Distinction?;52
5.3;2.3. Case Studies: Two Social Networks ;54
5.4;2.4. Conclusions;64
5.5;References;66
6;Tree Flow Networks in Urban Design;67
6.1;3.1. Introduction;67
6.2;3.2. How to Distribute Hot Water over an Area;67
6.3;3.3. Tree Network Generated by Repetitive Pairing;71
6.4;3.4. Robustness and Complexity;75
6.5;3.5. Development of Configuration by Adding New Users to Existing Networks;76
6.6;3.6. Social Determinism and Constructal Theory;84
6.7;References;86
7;Natural Flow Patterns and Structured People Dynamics: A Constructal View;87
7.1;4.1. Introduction;87
7.2;4.2. Patterns in Natural Flows: The River Basins Case;87
7.3;4.3. Patterns of Global Circulations;90
7.4;4.4. Flows of People;92
7.5;4.5. Conclusions;98
8;Constructal Pattern Formation in Nature, Pedestrian Motion, and Epidemics Propagation;100
8.1;5.1. Introduction;100
8.2;5.2. Constructal Law and the Generation of Configuration;101
8.3;5.3. Constructal Pattern Formation in Nature ;102
8.4;5.4. Constructal Patterns Formation in Pedestrian Motion ;107
8.5;5.5. Optimizing Pedestrian Facilities by Minimizing Residence Time ;118
8.6;5.6. Constructal View of Self-organized Pedestrian Movement;123
8.7;5.7. Population Motion and Spread of Epidemics;124
8.8;References;129
9;The Constructal Nature of the Air Traffic System;133
9.1;6.1. Introduction;133
9.2;6.2. The Constructal Law of Maximum Flow Access ;134
9.3;6.3. Relevant Results for Aeronautics ;138
9.4;6.4. Application to the Air Traffic System;141
9.5;6.5. Conclusions;156
10;Sociological Theory, Constructal Theory, and Globalization;160
10.1;7.1. Introduction;160
10.2;7.2. Theorizing the Global;167
10.3;References;172
11;Is Animal Learning Optimal?;174
11.1;8.1. Reinforcement Learning;174
11.2;8.2. What are the Alternatives to Optimality?;179
11.3;References;180
12;Conflict and Conciliation Dynamics;181
12.1;9.1. The Natural and the Social Sciences;181
12.2;9.2. Conflict and Conciliation Dynamics (CCD);184
12.3;9.3. CCD Flow Chart Representation of a Conflict and Peace Process;186
12.4;9.4. Empirical Checks and Discussion;191
12.5;9.5. Conclusions;193
12.6;References;194
13;Human Aging and Mortality;195
13.1;10.1. Introduction;195
13.2;10.2. The Random Walk Model ;196
13.3;10.3. Findings from Empirical Applications;200
13.4;10.4. Extensions of the Random Walk Model;204
13.5;10.5. Conclusions;206
13.6;References;207
14;Statistical Mechanical Models for Social Systems;209
14.1;11.1. Summary;209
14.2;11.2. Introduction;209
14.3;11.3. Generalized Location Systems;212
14.4;11.4. Modeling Location Systems;213
14.5;11.5. Illustrative Applications;221
14.6;11.6. Conclusions;233
14.7;References;233
15;Discrete Exponential Family Models for Ethnic Residential Segregation;236
15.1;12.1. Introduction;236
15.2;12.2. Potential Determinants of Ethnic Residential Segregation;237
15.3;12.3. Research Methodology;240
15.4;12.4. Simulation Results;243
15.5;12.5. Conclusion;255
15.6;References;255
16;Corporate Interlock;258
16.1;13.1. Abstract;258
16.2;13.2. Introduction;258
16.3;13.3. Corporate Interlocks;260
16.4;13.4. Data;263
16.5;13.5. Methodology;263
16.6;13.6. Analysis;264
16.7;13.7. Conclusion;272
16.8;References;272
17;Constructal Approach to Company Sustainability;274
17.1;14.1. Introduction;274
17.2;14.2. Sustainability and Its Evaluation;275
17.3;14.3. The Constructal Law of Maximum Flow Access;278
17.4;14.4. The Structural Theory of Thermoeconomics;280
17.5;14.5. Application to Company Sustainability ;283
17.6;14.6. Conclusions;287
17.7;References;288
18;The Inequality Process Is an Evolutionary Process;290
18.1;15.1. Summary;290
18.2;15.2. Introduction: Competition for Energy, Fuel, Food, and Wealth;290
18.3;15.3. The Gamma PDF Approximation to the IP’s Stationary Distribution in the w Equivalence Class;295
18.4;15.4. The IP, an Evolutionary Process;298
18.5;15.5. The Empirical Evidence That Robust Losers Are the More Productive Particles;301
18.6;15.6. Conclusions;304
18.7;References;305
19;Constructal Theory of Written Language;308
19.1;16.1. Introduction;308
19.2;16.2. Written Language ;308
19.3;16.3. First Pairing Level ;311
19.4;16.4. Second Pairing Level ;318
19.5;16.5. Conclusions;324
19.6;References;325
20;Life and Cognition;326
20.1;17.1. What is Life?;326
20.2;17.2. Psyche, the “Higher” Cognition;327
20.3;17.3. Nature as Matter, Unique-ness and Kaos;333
20.4;17.4. Consequences ;335
20.5;17.5. Historicity, Instinct, Intelligence, and Consciousness ;339
20.6;17.6. Nature and Cognitive Computer Science;341
20.7;17.7. Constructal Law, in Depth ;348
20.8;17.8. A Never-Ending Story;349
20.9;References;351
21;Index;355