Emergy synthesis
Encyclopedia
Emergy synthesis is a method employing emergy algebra for combining the constituent elements of separate materials or abstract entities into a single or unified entity or system. The conception of synthesis is formally analogous to the concept used by electronic engineers (see for example Chan p. 2), but is primarily used by ecological engineers at an extended scale and applied not only to electronic energetics but also ecological energetics
and economic energetics.
The term 'emergy synthesis' was originally coined by Dr. David M. Scienceman
, and later developed by Howard T. Odum
and colleagues at the University of Florida - most notably Dr. Mark Brown, the University of Maryland with Dr. David Tilley and Dr. Patrick Kangas, the United States EPA with Dr. Dan Campbell, UNICAMP in Brazil overseen by Dr. Enrique Ortega, and the University of Siena with Dr. Sergio Ulgiati. These institutions continue to evolve and propagate the emergy algebra and methodology.
.
H.T.Odum's epic 1994 text, is a classic demonstration of this attitude. Odum attempts to demonstrate how the nomenclatures and languages of many different traditions in the arts, and sciences can all be unified through a universal language
, which he later called the Energy Systems Language
.
, Marx, Habermas
, Gramsci
, Podolinsky, Woodford
, Frank, von Bertalanffy, Eckersley. It is intimately connected with the philosophy of rational empiricism, also known as logical positivism
, which was occupied with the unification of science, and the enlargement of Ecological humanities
. In natural philosophy (science), it is connected to the Cybernetics
of Ashby
and Wiener
, the rational physiology of W.S.McCulloch
, Chinese medicine, Life cycle analysis, Embodied Energy analysis
, and Ecological Footprint analysis
. However the task of synthesis is to see, and extend, the connections into all fields, explaining differences through historical Energy Systems modeling. It also has very strong connections with systems ecology
(also known as 'field physiology'), which might be considered its parent, and the study of Gaia
, or the noosphere
.
Ecological energetics
Ecological energetics is the quantitative study of the flow of energy through ecological systems. It aims to uncover the principles which describe the propensity of such energy flows through the trophic, or 'energy availing' levels of ecological networks. In systems ecology the principles of...
and economic energetics.
The term 'emergy synthesis' was originally coined by Dr. David M. Scienceman
David M. Scienceman
Dr David M. Scienceman is an Australian scientist; he changed his name from David Slade by deed poll in 1972.Dr Scienceman has a mathematics and physics degree and gained his PhD from the chemical engineering department at Sydney University on a scholarship from the Australian Atomic Energy...
, and later developed by Howard T. Odum
Howard T. Odum
Howard Thomas Odum was an American ecologist...
and colleagues at the University of Florida - most notably Dr. Mark Brown, the University of Maryland with Dr. David Tilley and Dr. Patrick Kangas, the United States EPA with Dr. Dan Campbell, UNICAMP in Brazil overseen by Dr. Enrique Ortega, and the University of Siena with Dr. Sergio Ulgiati. These institutions continue to evolve and propagate the emergy algebra and methodology.
Synthetic psychology, religion and unified science
One outstanding feature of emergy synthesis is in terms of psychology, and the unification of religion and science. In the work of Scienceman, Emergy Synthesis applies not only to ecological systems, but also to our epistemology, language and way of inquiry. At heart is not only an attempt to include everyone in the discussion, but also every subdiscipline of social, spiritual biological and physical science. From this perspective, Scienceman has written, "The concept of GOD is merely a 'personification' of emergy" (1995, p.1). Underlying this approach is a commitment to the ideal of the unification of scienceUnified Science
"Unified Science" can refer to any of three related strands in contemporary thought.* Belief in the unity of science was a central tenet of logical positivism. Different logical positivists construed this doctrine in several different ways, e.g...
.
H.T.Odum's epic 1994 text, is a classic demonstration of this attitude. Odum attempts to demonstrate how the nomenclatures and languages of many different traditions in the arts, and sciences can all be unified through a universal language
Universal language
Universal language may refer to a hypothetical or historical language spoken and understood by all or most of the world's population. In some circles, it is a language said to be understood by all living things, beings, and objects alike. It may be the ideal of an international auxiliary language...
, which he later called the Energy Systems Language
Energy Systems Language
The Energy Systems Language , also referred to as Energese, Energy Circuit Language and Generic Systems Symbols, was developed by the ecologist Howard T. Odum and colleagues in the 1950s during studies of the tropical forests funded by the United States Atomic Energy Commission...
.
Philosophical connections
The result of this synthetic, inclusive approach has established direct connections with many foundational traditions in philosophy. Including the work of Leibniz, SchellingSchelling
Notable people with the last name of Schelling include:* Ernest Schelling, American composer* Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, German philosopher* Thomas Schelling, American economist and Nobel laureate...
, Marx, Habermas
Jürgen Habermas
Jürgen Habermas is a German sociologist and philosopher in the tradition of critical theory and pragmatism. He is perhaps best known for his theory on the concepts of 'communicative rationality' and the 'public sphere'...
, Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci was an Italian writer, politician, political philosopher, and linguist. He was a founding member and onetime leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime...
, Podolinsky, Woodford
Woodford
Woodford is a large suburban town in northeast London, England, occupying the north-western part of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located approximately northeast of Charing Cross and is divided into the neighbourhoods of Woodford Green, Woodford Bridge and South Woodford...
, Frank, von Bertalanffy, Eckersley. It is intimately connected with the philosophy of rational empiricism, also known as logical positivism
Logical positivism
Logical positivism is a philosophy that combines empiricism—the idea that observational evidence is indispensable for knowledge—with a version of rationalism incorporating mathematical and logico-linguistic constructs and deductions of epistemology.It may be considered as a type of analytic...
, which was occupied with the unification of science, and the enlargement of Ecological humanities
Ecological humanities
The ecological humanities is an interdisciplinary area of research, drawing on the many environmental sub-disciplines that have emerged in the humanities over the past several decades...
. In natural philosophy (science), it is connected to the Cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
of Ashby
Ashby
-Surname:* Alan Ashby , American baseball player* Alexander Essebiensis , English theologian and poet* Andy Ashby , American baseball player* Carl Ashby , American abstract expressionist artist...
and Wiener
Norbert Wiener
Norbert Wiener was an American mathematician.A famous child prodigy, Wiener later became an early researcher in stochastic and noise processes, contributing work relevant to electronic engineering, electronic communication, and control systems.Wiener is regarded as the originator of cybernetics, a...
, the rational physiology of W.S.McCulloch
Warren Sturgis McCulloch
Warren Sturgis McCulloch was an American neurophysiologist and cybernetician, known for his work on the foundation for certain brain theories and his contribution to the cybernetics movement.- Biography :...
, Chinese medicine, Life cycle analysis, Embodied Energy analysis
Embodied energy
Embodied energy is defined as the sum of energy inputs that was used in the work to make any product, from the point of extraction and refining materials, bringing it to market, and disposal / re-purposing of it...
, and Ecological Footprint analysis
Ecological footprint
The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It is a standardized measure of demand for natural capital that may be contrasted with the planet's ecological capacity to regenerate. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area necessary to...
. However the task of synthesis is to see, and extend, the connections into all fields, explaining differences through historical Energy Systems modeling. It also has very strong connections with systems ecology
Systems ecology
Systems ecology is an interdisciplinary field of ecology, taking a holistic approach to the study of ecological systems, especially ecosystems. Systems ecology can be seen as an application of general systems theory to ecology. Central to the systems ecology approach is the idea that an ecosystem...
(also known as 'field physiology'), which might be considered its parent, and the study of Gaia
Gaia philosophy
Gaia philosophy is a broadly inclusive term for related concepts that living organisms on a planet will affect the nature of their environment in order to make the environment more suitable for life. This set of theories holds that all organisms on an extraterrestrial life-giving planet regulate...
, or the noosphere
Noosphere
Noosphere , according to the thought of Vladimir Vernadsky and Teilhard de Chardin, denotes the "sphere of human thought". The word is derived from the Greek νοῦς + σφαῖρα , in lexical analogy to "atmosphere" and "biosphere". Introduced by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin 1922 in his Cosmogenesis"...
.
See also
- EmergyEmergyEmergy is the available energy of one kind that is used up in transformations directly and indirectly to make a product or service. Emergy accounts for, and in effect, measures quality differences between forms of energy. Emergy is an expression of all the energy used in the work processes that...
- Emergy evaluation
- Energy Systems LanguageEnergy Systems LanguageThe Energy Systems Language , also referred to as Energese, Energy Circuit Language and Generic Systems Symbols, was developed by the ecologist Howard T. Odum and colleagues in the 1950s during studies of the tropical forests funded by the United States Atomic Energy Commission...
- Systems ecologySystems ecologySystems ecology is an interdisciplinary field of ecology, taking a holistic approach to the study of ecological systems, especially ecosystems. Systems ecology can be seen as an application of general systems theory to ecology. Central to the systems ecology approach is the idea that an ecosystem...
- NoosphereNoosphereNoosphere , according to the thought of Vladimir Vernadsky and Teilhard de Chardin, denotes the "sphere of human thought". The word is derived from the Greek νοῦς + σφαῖρα , in lexical analogy to "atmosphere" and "biosphere". Introduced by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin 1922 in his Cosmogenesis"...
- EnergeticsEnergeticsEnergetics is the study of energy under transformation. Because energy flows at all scales, from the quantum level to the biosphere and cosmos, energetics is a very broad discipline, encompassing for example thermodynamics, chemistry, biological energetics, biochemistry and ecological energetics...
- Universal languageUniversal languageUniversal language may refer to a hypothetical or historical language spoken and understood by all or most of the world's population. In some circles, it is a language said to be understood by all living things, beings, and objects alike. It may be the ideal of an international auxiliary language...