Research Topics and Publications

A diverse range of topics are being investigated, including:

Fundamental Complex Adaptive Systems Concepts and Metaphysics

Papers:

  • Gao, Yin and Bill Herfel (2009) 'Constructing Post-Classical Ecosystems Ecology. The Emerging Dynamic Perspective from Self-organising Complex Adaptive Systems' (in) Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) Philosophy of Complex Systems, Elsevier, 2009.
  • Hooker, Cliff (2009), 'Conceptualising Reduction, Emergence and Self-organisation in Complex Dynamical Systems' (in) Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) Philosophy of Complex Systems, Elsevier, 2009.
  • Muller, S. (2004) ‘The Asymmetry Principle of Information’. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Newcastle. Contents + Abstract
    • The thesis has now been published as a book: Muller, S.J. (2007) Asymmetry: The Foundation of Information, Berlin: Springer.
  • Collier J.D. (1999) ‘Causation is the Transfer of Information’, in Howard Sankey (ed.) Causation and Laws of Nature, Dordrecht: Kluwer, 279-331.
  • Collier J.D. and Muller S. (1998) 'The Dynamical Basis of Emergence in Natural Heirarchies', in G. Farre and T. Oksala (eds.) Emergence, Complexity, Hierarchy and Organisation. Selected and Edited papers from the ECHO III Conference, Acta Polytechnica Scandanavica MA91. Espoo: Finnish Academy of Technology.
  • Collier J.D. (1996) ‘Information originates in symmetry breaking’ Symmetry: Culture & Science, 7, 247-256.

Autonomy, Adaptiveness, Agency and Biological Organization

 Papers

Complex Adaptive Systems Models of Culture

Papers

Intelligent Agents and the Biological Roots of Cognition

Papers

  • Hooker, C.A. (2009) 'Interaction and Bio-Cognitive Order', Synthese, 166(3), 513-546, special edition on interactivism, M. Bickhard ed.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (2004) 'Representation and the Meaning of Life', in H. Clapin, P. Staines and P. Slezak (Eds.), Representation in Mind: New Approaches to Mental Representation, Oxford: Elsevier, 41-70.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (2002) 'Self-directed agents', in MacIntosh, J. (Ed.) Contemporary Naturalist Theories of Evolution and Intentionality, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Special Supplementary Volume XXVII, Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 19-52.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (2000): "An Interactivist-Constructivist Approach to Intelligence: Self-directed Anticipative Learning", Philosophical Psychology, 13, 5-45.
  • Christensen, W.D., and Hooker, C.A. (1998), 'From cell to scientist: Toward an organisational theory of life and mind', in J. Bigelow (ed.) Our Cultural Heritage. Proceedings of the Australian Academy of Humanities, Canberra: Academy of Humanities.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (1998) ‘Towards a New Science of the Mind: Wide Content and the Metaphysics of Organisational Properties in Non-linear Dynamical Models’, Symposium on Mind, Special Issue, Philosophy and Language, 13 #1, 97-108.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (1997): "Selection Theory, Organization and the Development of Knowledge", Evolution and Cognition, 3, 44-8.
  • Hooker, C.A. (1996), "Critical Notice of L. Smith and E. Thelen (eds) A Dynamics Systems Approach to Development: Applications", Philosophical Psychology, 10, 121-30.
  • Hooker, C.A., (1994), ‘Regulatory Constructivism:  On the Relation Between Evolutionary Epistemology and Piaget's Genetic Epistemology’, Biology and Philosophy, 9, 197-244.

Dynamical Modelling and Scientific Development

Book

  • Hooker, C.A. (Ed.) (2009) Philosophy and Foundations of Complex Dynamical Systems, Vol. 10 of the Handbook of Philosophy of Science, Amsterdam: Elsevier.

This will be the first volume of its kind on complex systems, which have now  penetrated all the sciences and in many cases (e.g. across all of biology, geoscience and psychology) are now central to their formulation and practice. Employing reflective research scientists and scientifically informed philosophers, this volume aims to capture and reflect on the distinctive basic contributions of complex systems to the various sciences and the distinctive fundamental issues raised: theoretical, experimental, methodological and more broadly philosophical.

Papers

  • Hooker, Cliff (2009), 'Introduction to philosophy of complex systems: Part A: Towards a framework for complex systems' in Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) (2009), Philosophy and Foundations of Complex Dynamical Systems, Vol. 10 of the Handbook of Philosophy of Science, Amsterdam: Elsevier.
  • Hooker, Cliff (2009), 'Introduction to philosophy of complex systems: Part B: Scientific paradigm + philosophy of science for complex systems: a first presentation c. 2009' in Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) (2009), Philosophy and Foundations of Complex Dynamical Systems, Vol. 10 of the Handbook of Philosophy of Science, Amsterdam: Elsevier.
  • Hooker, C.A. (2009) ‘On Fundamental Implications of Systems and Synthetic Biology’ in Fu, P., M. Latterich and S. Panke (Eds) Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Fu, P. and Hooker, C.A. (2009) 'Outstanding Issues in systems and synthetic biology', in Fu, P., M. Latterich and S. Panke (Eds) Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dynamical Models of Science

See also 'Introduction to philosophy of complex systems: Part A', section 4, under 'dynamic modelling' and 'Interaction and Bio-Cognitive Order', section IIIc, under 'biological roots of cognition'.

Papers

Ecological Models of Science

Papers

  • Herfel, Bill, Yin Gao and D. J. Rodrigues (2009) 'Chinese Medicine and Complex Systems Dynamics' (in) Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) Philosophy of Complex Systems, Elsevier, 2009.
  • Gao, Yin (2005) ‘Ecologies of Scientific Practice: An Analysis of the Organization and Dynamics of Science’, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Newcastle.
    • Contents, Abstract and Introduction

Economic models of science

Papers

Situated Cognition Models of Science

This project essentially involves applying the model of cognitive agency developed under "biological roots of cognition" to science itself as a cognitive process, especially the self-directing anticipative learning model.

Papers

Book

A book is under development.

  • Farrell, R. & C.A. Hooker, SDAL Cycling: Toward a New Model of Research Process in Science.

Rationality as Dynamical Process

Books

  • Hooker, C. A. (1995), Reason, Regulation and Realism: Towards A Regulatory Systems Theory Of Reason And Evolutionary Epistemology. Albany: State University of New York Press.

A book is completed in draft:
Hoffmaster, C.B. and C.A. Hooker, Re-reasoning Practical Ethics. 
It argues that an agent-based, dynamical process conception of reason resolves the difficulties faced by more transcendent, formal conceptions of reason in providing a sufficiently coherent, powerful and evolving set of rational capacities to adequately ground our manifest abilities in both science and ethics.
In doing so the book provides a deep critique of formal reason, argues that the structures of practical rationality are essentially the same in science and ethics, and argues that in both these domains the deeper exercise of rationality lies in the design of the institutionalised processes themselves, from which any ‘rules’ (cognitive and ethical) emerge as context-dependent organisation.

Papers

  • Hooker, C.A. and B. Hoffmaster (2009), 'How Ethics Confronts Experience', Bioethics, 23(4), 214 - 225.
  • Christensen, W.D. and C.A. Hooker (1998) ‘The Dynamics of Reason, Critical Symposium on Paul Churchland: The Engine of Reason, the Seat of the Soul’, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, LVIII(4), 871-878.
  • Hooker, C.A. (1994) ‘Idealisation, Naturalism, and Rationality: Some Lessons from Minimal Rationality’, Synthese 99, 181-231.
  • Hooker, C.A. (1994), 'Value and System, Notes Toward the Definition of Agri-culture', Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Ethics, 7, Special Supplement. (pp.84)
  • Hooker, C.A. (1989), ‘From Logical Formalism to Control System’ in Fine, A. and Leplin, J. (eds.), PSA 1988, East Lansing, Philosophy of Science Association, 211-221.

Interpret Traditional Chinese Medicine

Papers

Assessing sustainability dimensions and impacts

This initiative, running since 2000, is under the auspices of The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development (CRCCSD) for which Hooker has been appointed senior researcher in charge of CCSD Program P1.2.

The research team comprises:

  • C.A. Hooker, director and senior scientist, FAHA, PhD [Physics, Sydney U.], PhD [Philosophy, York University].
  • T. Brinsmead, post-doctoral fellow, PhD [Electrical Engineering, U. Newcastle]

Program task
As society moves toward adopting sustainable development, and as alternative energy technologies mature, the use of fossil fuels is being increasingly questioned. However, while sustainability-driven re-evaluation of energy usage is appropriate, especially that of fossil fuels, this needs to be based on an understanding of the rich roles which carbon flows play in these complex systems. Moreover, both ecologies and economies are systems whose inherent dynamics will alter their composition and interrelations over time and the maintenance of their adaptive capacities is central to their viability. So the sustainability-driven re-evaluation of fossil fuel usage needs to pay particular attention to those key features that allow ecologies and economies to persist through change, their resiliency. 

The aim of Program P1.2 is to re-focus sustainable development primarily around the simultaneous maintenance (and preferably improvement) of the adaptive resiliency of ecology and economy as change proceeds, to develop from this new measures for evaluating future energy scenarios, and new systematic processes for the construction and evaluation of future scenarios and of risk-ameliorating adaptive strategies over these. Particular tasks include:

  1. investigation of the conceptual, qualitative and semi-quantitative identification of resiliency and adaptability dimensions of ecologies and economies,
  2. construction of a new conception of adaptive sustainability focused on preserving/improving adaptability and resilience, complete with policy and planning tools,
  3. investigation of applications to adaptive industrial networks,
  4. using these features to assess the impacts of future energy scenarios on the resiliency and adaptability of ecologies and economies and
  5. applying these insights in the specific context of Australian ecology and economy.
Research

Industry Discussion Papers
A series of brief discussion papers specifically for industry partners, designed to explain the key ideas behind the approach programme P1.2 is taking to sustainable development, discuss their consequences for coal-chain industries, and provoke dialogue and feedback.

CCSD Research reports

Books

Two books are in advanced preparation.

  • Brinsmead, T.S. and C.A. Hooker, Adaptive Sustainability: Principles and Policy
  • Brinsmead, T.S. and C.A. Hooker, Adaptively Resilient Energy Policy

Other papers

  • Brinsmead, T. S. and Cliff Hooker (2009), 'Complex Systems Dynamics and Sustainability: conception, method and policy' in Hooker, Cliff (Ed.) (2009), Philosophy and Foundations of Complex Dynamical Systems, Vol. 10 of the Handbook of Philosophy of Science, Amsterdam: Elsevier.
  • Thomas S. Brinsmead and Cliff A. Hooker (2007), 'Integrative Design Methods Applied to Sustainable Urban Development Research',  In Proceedings "International Conference on Engineering Sustainability: sustainability in a changing world", Perth WA, pp.441-458
  • Hooker, C.A., (2007), ‘Sustainability = Adaptive Resilience?' in Kell, R. (Ed.) New Technology for Infrastructure – The World of Tomorrow, ATSE, 33 - 41.
  • Brinsmead, T.S., G. Ellem, A. Johnson, R. Larkin, M. Licata, K. London, S. Lucas, A. Mackenzie, M. Ostwald, V. Wells and T. Young (2007) ‘Means-ends inquiry: a strategy for directing inter-disciplinary research conversation’, in London K, G Thayarapan and J Chen (Eds.), Proceedings of the Symposium: Building Across Borders Built Environment Procurement CIB W092 Procurement Systems, 264-273, Centre for Interdisciplinary Built Environment Research University of Newcastle, ISBN: 9781920701834.
  • Hooker, C.A., (2006), ‘Sustainable Infrastructure’, in Cook, D. (Eds.) Infrastructural Renewal - White Elephants to Winners, ATSE, (10pp.).
  • Brinsmead, T.S. (2005), 'Methodology for Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Adaption Options'  University of Newcastle, presented at the Workshop on Integrated Assessment of Climate Change, ANU Canberra, 4-5 July.
  • Brinsmead, T.S. and C.A. Hooker (2004) ‘Theoretical methodologies for sustainability policy: historical development and logical structure’, in Carlson E (Ed.), A Future that Works: economics, employment and the environment, Proceedings of the 6th Path to Full Employment Conference and the 11th National Conference on Unemployment: 8-10 Dec, Centre of Full Employment and Equity University of Newcastle.
  • Hooker, C.A., (1993), ‘Energy [Policy] in a Dynamic World’, Transactions of Mechanical Engineering, Institution of Engineers Australia, ME18, #2, 101-18.
  • Hooker, C.A., (1989), ‘Towards a Philosophy and Practice of Energy Policy Making’, The McMaster Institute of Energy Studies Journal 1, 130-43.
  • Several papers on the constructive analysis and unification of resilience concepts and their use are in preparation.

Other Work

Autocatalysis: Applications to Technology Design and Education
This is a few words on the applications of some ideas in nonlinear dynamical systems to technology design, which has some additional applications to education theory.
 
Research context
The Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development (CRCCSD) has been established under a Commonwealth Government initiative, bringing together researchers from industry, Universities, CSIRO and government funded agencies for the benefit of Australia industry and the community. CRCCSD will improve understanding of the place of coal in the transition to sustainable development in a changing world, through responsive and collaborative research, technology transfer, and education and training; conduct scientific research to:improve environmental performance of current technologies; reduce the risk inherent in adopting emerging clean coal technologies; and identify appropriate transition paths and support the development of policies for coal use.

Participants in CRCCSD include: Australian Coal Research Limited (ACIRL), BHP Innovation Pty Limited, CNA Resources Limited, CS Energy Limited, CSIRO Energy Technology, Curtin University of Technology, Delta Electricity, Enex Coal Pty Limited, Rio Tinto Energy Pty Limited, State of Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Tarong Energy Corporation Limited, The Griffin Coal Mining Co Pty Limited, The University of Newcastle, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, Wesfarmers Coal Limited, Western Power Corporation.

Further information about CRCCSD can be found at http://www.ccsd.biz/.