DOI
10.1002/sres.1059

Summary
This research paper concerns the need for teaching systems thinking at early stages of schooling and how the recommendation may have a positive impact on the students ability for flexibility and clarity of thought in an ever increasingly resource dependant society. The paper addresses some fundamental systemic issues.

Livability and sustainability are used in tandem throughout this paper to discuss the systemic issues. Allen describes livability as ‘dynamic and unplanned’ and sustainability as ‘rate-independent planning’ and together as ‘sustainability is constrained but not determined by livability’. Livability is first detached from sustainability from a scale standpoint but is then paired by way of ‘virtue of its immediacy’. The author delineates that livability and sustainability stand in two different logical types and that it is critical they are viewed like this. ‘Unremarkable’ as is mentioned throughout the paper, is described in this context with hope that, as a result of early stage education of systems/global thinking, the notion of children developing this skill will be ‘unremarkable’.

Allen describes the relationship of livability and sustainability under multiple headings, making reference to the oil crisis in the U.S, British case examples, the different logical types, high and low gain systems, distinction between livability and sustainability and the material issue, food crisis and gradient for change, and finally, discussion on ‘making it unremarkable’.

Interestingly, Allen discussed the H1N1 influenza pandemic and briefly the implications this had for meetings at the time.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This paper is relevant to sustainable development and has some input into the teaching of systems thinking or rather calls for its uptake – the paper does not delude any particular method of teaching to develop systems thinking. The general format of the paper is in discussion, based on the literature surrounding the topics.

Under the heading ‘Livability and Urgency Vs. Sustainability and Planning’, Allen describes the issue of fuel supply and demand. During one of the oil crisis’ in the U.S, president Carter proposed a fuel price increase by taxation to reduce consumption which was hailed as a sustainable solution but it was not passed in congress as issues of livability were raised – livability outweighed sustainability. Allen points towards Jervons paradox with another similar example of coal use and machinery efficiency in 1800’s U.K, coming to the conclusion that increased efficiency leads to increased consumption every time. He goes on to note that the uptake of hybrid electric vehicles in America is a new emerging livability.

Allen describes the ‘tragedy of the commons’ concept through British examples in page 472.

Global thinking is described as ‘global thinking involves being aware of a full set of significant factors and the ability to integrate a large number of them’

Point of Strength
The use of ‘livability’ as a concept focal to this study is a strong aspect of this paper.

The coverage of sustainable development concepts in this study is very strong. The authors make a good argument to the benefit and requirement of young schooling for systems thinking to which they detail the fact that children already think in terms of a system but lack ‘defensiveness’ towards any topic as they are still developing their own self-importance. ‘Pride and vanity are greater obstacles to learning that stupidity’.

(Comment by !!!James M) – Although this paper is heavily detailed with sustainable development concepts and theories but as far as significance to furthering systems thinking in a teaching context it falls short of providing solid conclusions for this work project. The concept of livability and sustainability is however an interesting one and has made for an informative read on historic examples of livability and sustainability.