Preliminary Mathematics of Direct Democracy

Google Tech Talk August 22, 2012 Presented by Lee Worden ABSTRACT I will present a modeling approach to theorizing about processes and protocols for collective deliberation among humans — that is, ways for a group efficiently and effectively to find a mutually agreeable solution to a problem when participants may disagree on what is acceptable. Seen from this perspective, the problem becomes one of collective search in a complex problem space. I will draw connections to work in evolutionary dynamics, political science, and distributed problem solving in computers. I will be very interested in hearing feedback from Googlers about the search and distributed information processing aspects of the project. SPEAKER INFO Lee Worden is an applied mathematician specializing in dynamics of collective behavior, coexistence, communities, and adaptation. He has studied transitions from competitive to mutualistic interactions in ecological evolution and game theory, and emergence of self-regulation in model planetary ecosystems. His current research includes threshold models for abrupt social change, as well as developing a modeling approach to collective deliberation. He is currently working at UC Berkeley and (virtually) at McMaster University, and teaching at the SF Art Institute.