1. How Does Nature Create Order from Chaos?
The logic of society is built upon certain physical laws and a narrow scope of action. Business focuses on core competencies, policymakers allocate core competencies to each ministerial department, and scientists narrow their fields of study so much that they seem to only comprehend the myriad species that are irrelevant to life itself. Initially, we believed we had to move forward rather than blindly accept existing physical laws or deepen our understanding of quantum and nuclear physics. Instead, we should ground our understanding of the basic principles of life in three foundational sciences: physics, biology, and chemistry, supported by mathematical reality.
The laws of thermodynamics stem from the physical world and are meaningful within the current theoretical framework. However, in the coming years, we should deepen our understanding of the laws of life, integrating them into our optimal understanding of physics, biology, and chemistry. New insights in physics are likely to emerge from nanoscience, particularly regarding the structures of water in intermediate phases. We must strive to better understand how nature thrives amid chaos and what systems can provide a better livelihood for all life on Earth.
This understanding could lead to an open system that integrates the three scientific disciplines into a comprehensive framework without conflicting with quantum physics or Newtonian laws. The presence of two untapped, inexhaustible energy sources—solar energy and interstellar magnetism—enables life on Earth to transform chaos into order. Through unimaginably small chemical reactions, life systems utilize advanced nanotechnology to convert inorganic particles into self-assembling organic structures. All of this happens right before our eyes. While we have made isolated breakthroughs in cognition, we lack a holistic vision and wisdom.
“Why don't we spark a debate about natural systems to establish order from chaos?” — Dr. Carl-Göran Hedén, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for Zero Emissions Research and Initiative (1994-1997), Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
By 2014, we will better understand how nature generates chaos and captures all forms of energy, including those we have yet to observe. Perhaps we face more questions than ever before. However, one thing is certain: unless we are prepared to construct the yet-to-be-built and unimaginable world, we must accept that in a closed system, everything ultimately leads to chaos. But we live in an open system, and thus we have the obligation to build a framework for life that includes human existence. We should endeavour to establish a theoretical and practical framework that indicates that "self-generating systems continuously enrich life by transforming chaos into stable structures."
2. New Axioms for Economics and Management
Debates about theory and science must be accompanied by a corresponding debate on economics. Over the past decade, we have come to understand what many have felt for years: an economic and management system driven by core business and cash flow analysis fails to meet everyone's basic needs. While this system may be the best we've imagined so far, it does little to solve poverty, protect the environment, and can only respond during extreme crises.
Indeed, we have signed over a hundred international environmental treaties, and the Kyoto Protocol has come into effect. Environmental reports by major multinational corporations and the rise of corporate social responsibility have become popular, but the reality remains grim: endless waste continues to accumulate, and the ecosystems we depend on are still being destroyed. Core business, core competencies, outsourcing, globalization, and supply chain management must evolve, just as everything else does. We argue that we need a market system that meets people’s needs and produces what they truly require.
Thus, during the 2004 World Congress, we developed twelve axioms for economics and management based on a series of case studies from the Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives. These axioms represent the first attempt at formulating this new framework. We must broaden our understanding of economics to use what we have—especially our culture, traditions, and ecosystems—to meet everyone's basic needs. We must continually test and refine these ideas, engaging in endless exploration to create an economic system led by leaders who are bold, creative, and innovative. This requires the involvement of many creative thinkers, ideally those who have never studied economics before.
3. Biomimicry in Systems
In 1994, the opening address of the Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives (ZERI) World Congress stated, "Nature itself produces no waste." If someone takes the time to observe the wonders of nature, they cannot help but be captivated. Simply watching all that happens in nature will inevitably evoke a deep sense of awe and admiration.
"Nature runs on sunlight. Nature uses only the energy it needs. Nature adapts to different forms to function. Nature recycles everything. Nature rewards cooperation. Nature relies on diversity. Nature requires local expertise. Nature curbs excesses from within. Nature has developed the power of limits." —Janine Benyus, Biomimicry Expert and keynote speaker at ZERI's 10th anniversary World Congress.
However, our goal is not to turn nature into a zoo or park to protect what we already know, but rather to become mature partners in the life-filled networks of ecosystems. Given that humans only recently arrived on Earth, it’s understandable that this new species has yet to learn how to adapt to the ever-changing, self-sustaining system we call Earth. Janine Benyus introduced the world to the concept of biomimicry, accompanied by a profound sense of responsibility: the core business and competencies of biomimicry should not merely serve short-term financial goals or cherry-pick isolated aspects of nature.
The third research agenda, as the next topic in a dialogue-based learning process, focuses on "system biomimicry." This includes designing components, processes, and ultimately integrating both into an overall system design. The Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives network is dedicated to understanding species interactions, cascading biochemical processes and reactions, the integration and separation of materials, and the intertwined production and consumption of energy. These are undeniably complex issues, yet little is widely understood about them. This research will inspire us on how to turn waste into resources and transform current engineering technologies, grounded in the laws of physics and economics, into production lines that self-assemble and self-disassemble. This mindset allows us to view nature as a resource and a reserve for ever-increasing efficiency, diversity, and production-consumption systems, with more joy and variety than traditional ways of thinking.
The "systemic" approach to biomimicry sees products, forms, and processes as formulated tools, studying the relationships between all parts of ecosystem networks. System biomimicry will undoubtedly bring deeper insights and contribute to the discussion of open systems and the ability to create diversity from simplicity. Such discussions will inevitably force us to reassess and adjust the design principles and economic axioms mentioned earlier. The laws of life complement the laws of physics. Let us approach life's realities from all angles, but I guarantee that we will begin with an open system characterized by self-generation.
Wait a minute—how many people know what we're talking about? I believe quite a few may be confused. Thus, these challenging discussions and dialogues should not be confined to a select few; this conversation must be accompanied by significant educational initiatives. We learn the most in the process of teaching, far more than simply through dialogue or referencing others' experiences!