Hello @nadia, hello All - I like to chip in a little part. Having followed the recent webinar I read part of the description about Witness and got puzzled. By the way, I am reading SF (favourite: Octavia Butler or the Strugazki brothers). Hence, I do not feel estranged by the genre / approach.
(a) As expected, Witness seems mainly about interaction of people, governance, power-plays, etc. Drawing on this I was expecting to find little in the description of Witness about features like fluxes of matter (and energy), although these fluxes underpin (any) economy. I found reference to energy attribution, circular economy, reduction of waste, food etc. I was looking (in vain) for matters like âwaste water treatmentâ (pie, poo and washing), âuse of soil, minerals, irrigation waterâ etc. Likewise, I found no reference that human economies (all/ often / mainly) are open systems; fluxes of energy and matter in/out of the system. Thus, it seems to me that attention was little (so far) to some very basic processes / interactions (at the society-Earth-interface) that relate to basic âmaterialâ features of societies / economies. Drawing on this it seems to me some study is needed in âTrack #2â about what kind of material fluxes have to be âmodelledâ; e.g. is treatment of human waste water a matter for Witness?.
(b) Also, much expected, Witness eclipses the issue of reproduction of humans (pregnancy, birth, child-hood, schooling, education, vocational training,⊠illness, and death do not seem to be treated (in detail & over time)). However, these processes are relevant in any functioning society / economy. Again, it seems to me a subject for âTrack #2â.
Rapid forwarding from (a) and (b), I am wondering how any of the districts of âWitnessâ would go about building and maintaining a hydro-power infrastructures (in a valley) to provide energy and irrigation water for the community for many cycles of human reproduction? A suchlike subject could be a manner to federate studies under âTrack #2â that could address the issues mentioned under (a) and (b).