The Fabric of Reality: A Systems Way of Seeing the World

At the quarter mark of the 21st century, there is a growing sense that our conventional ways of understanding the world are insufficient to address the many overlapping problems we face. This plenary 'fireside' chat will explore how different cultures and sectors see (or have the potential to see) the world through a systems lens. Some of the questions this opening session will explore: What can we learn from Blackfoot cosmology, non-Western, and Western science-based insights into ways of understanding systems that help us better address the problems of our time?  How can innovation - including technological innovation, policy innovation, and social innovation - benefit from systems thinking?