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***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
Hello,
Although I admit I haven't been following this thread of mailings (since
I'm in Crete these days), I can't resist to say something about the
historical roots of computing and networks in "hard" science that
sometimes seem to be forgotten. The so called computer revolution has deep
roots in cybernetics and in the math of such men as Goedel, Turing and
many set theorists in the first half of last century. On the other side,
networks and emergence actually go back to statistical mechanics and
thermodynamics of the 19th century although the popular configurations
studied then was that of a lattice than an arbitrary graph. But the idea
of emergence as a meso-level linkage between microscopic structure and
macroscopic dynamics has undoubtedly arisen in the minds of such men as
Maxwell and Bolzman. In fact, the old dualism in math and physics between
geometry and dynamics might not be too irrelevant to the sociological
dualism between structure and agency. And this is what (I think) the
"socio-physicists" and "econo-physicists" of today seem to be ignorant of.
Greetings,
--Moses
On Wed, 2 Feb 2005, Martina Morris wrote:
> ***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
>
> The roots of modern network analysis reach into the soil of many
> disciplines -- sociology, anthropology and psychology. But not physics.
>
> To the extent that Harrison White has contributed, it was through changing
> his disciplinary focus from physics to social science.
>
> Network methodology. Now there's an interesting topic of discussion.
> Modeling interactive, dynamic systems with emergent properties is a child
> of the computing revolution. And we are in the midst of that now.
>
>
> On Wed, 2 Feb 2005, rhoten wrote:
>
> > ***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
> >
> > yes, you are obviously right. It would be interesting, however, to see more current collaboration along the lines I understood Bettina to be suggesting. Clearly the roots of modern network analysis lay in physics.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Don Steiny [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 6:33 PM
> > To: rhoten
> > Cc: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: All Networks Look the Same?
> >
> >
> > I can't help but point out that Harrison White, argueably the most influential person on modern network theory, was a physicist who applied his knowledge of physics to the social sciences. Here is a paper that discusses that:
> >
> > http://www.mot.chalmers.se/dept/idy/home/azarian.pdf
> >
> > White has a number of important papers, perhaps his one on blockmodels is the most influential for network analysis.
> >
> > -Don
> >
> > rhoten writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > The idea of collaboration seems like an excellent proposal idea ... I think there could be a fascinating line of work here, merging the sociologists' and physicists' approaches to networks, exploring where lay the convergences and divergences in approaches ... examining opportunities to and obstacles for a network law(s).
> > >
> > > Diana
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Social Networks Discussion Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > > On Behalf Of Bettina Hoser
> > > Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 11:59 AM
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: All Networks Look the Same?
> > >
> > > ***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org *****
> > >
> > > I agree with Ajay, why not take what the physicist find and check if
> > > it works. If it does, this can help to explain some facts, that are
> > > still unsolved, and if not, no damage done. Maybe they also provide
> > > new methods that could be tested. Wouldn´t it be nice to have a "grand
> > > unified network law" ;-)
> > >
> > > The only sad thing is, that they always make it to center stage (nature, science etc) while those who have been there for a long while, stand in the shadows. Can´t something be done about that? Collaboration etc?
> > >
> > > Best,
> > > Bettina
> > > --
> > > Dipl.-Phys. Bettina Hoser
> > > Informationsdienste und elektronische Märkte Fakultät für
> > > Wirtschaftswissenschaften Universität Karlsruhe (TH)
> > > D-76128 Karlsruhe
> > >
> > > Gebäude 20.20 RZ (Raum 164), Zirkel 2
> > >
> > > Telefon: +49.721.608-8407
> > > Telefax: +49.721.608-8403
> > >
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > http://www.em.uni-karlsruhe.de
> > >
> > > _____________________________________________________________________
> > > SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social network researchers (http://www.insna.org). To unsubscribe, send an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.
> > >
> > > _____________________________________________________________________
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Don Steiny - [log in to unmask] - [log in to unmask] Institute for Social Network Analysis of the Economy - www.isnae.org
> > 125 Mission St #3 - Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - 831.471.1671 - fax: 831.471.1670
> >
> > _____________________________________________________________________
> > SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social
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> >
>
> ****************************************************************
> Blumstein-Jordan Professor of Sociology and Statistics
> Department of Sociology
> Box 353340
> University of Washington
> Seattle, WA 98195-3340
>
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> _____________________________________________________________________
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