Toward a Formal Theory of Socioculture: A Yin-Yang Information-Based Theory of Social Change

Kybernetes, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp. 850-909, 2008

60 Pages Posted: 16 Mar 2009

See all articles by Maurice Yolles

Maurice Yolles

John Moores University - Centre for the Creation of Coherent Change and Knowledge (C4K)

Graham Kemp

affiliation not provided to SSRN

B. Roy Frieden

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: 2008

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to initiate a new, formal theory of sociocultural physics.

Design/methodology/approach - Its intended scope is limited to predicting either long-term, large-scale or short-term, small-scale sociocultural events. The theory that the authors develop, called sociohistory, links three independent but relatable approaches: part of Sorokin's epistemological theory of sociocultural dynamics, Frieden's epistemological theory of extreme physical information (EPI), and Yolles's social viable systems (SVS) theory.

Findings - Although not all of Sorokin's ideas are universally accepted, a subset of them is found to be extremely useful for describing the conceptual context of complex systems. This includes how sociocultural processes link closely into political processes.

Research limitations/implications - The theory that develops helps explain how opposing, cultural enantiomers or yin-yang forces (represented, for instance, by the polar mindsets represented in Islamic fundamentalism and global enterprise) can result in violent conflict, or in either viable or non-viable social communities. The informations I and J of EPI theory are regarded, respectively, as sensate and ideational enantiomers.

Originality/value - While the resulting sociocultural physics is in its infancy, an illustrative application to the developmental dynamics of post-colonial Iran demonstrates its potential utility.

Keywords: Cybernetics, Physics, Social structure

Suggested Citation

Yolles, Maurice and Kemp, Graham and Frieden, B. Roy, Toward a Formal Theory of Socioculture: A Yin-Yang Information-Based Theory of Social Change (2008). Kybernetes, Vol. 37, No. 7, pp. 850-909, 2008 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1360650

Maurice Yolles

John Moores University - Centre for the Creation of Coherent Change and Knowledge (C4K) ( email )

Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool
United Kingdom

Graham Kemp

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

B. Roy Frieden (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
153
Abstract Views
1,775
Rank
395,148
PlumX Metrics