- #1
Synetos
- 40
- 1
An amazing vid that I saw yesterday, what do you guys think?
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/532
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/532
HallsofIvy said:Just before WWI a very popular book was written showing that modern war would cost both sides more than they could gain by it. Therefore war was "uneconomic" and there would never be another war! Of course, WWI did happen, showing that the impetus to war is neither economic nor rational.
War might be neither economic or rational for a country as a whole, but it can be beneficial for people in positions of power that make the decision to go to war, such as a general getting a larger army and more resources (thus more power and influence and possible financial gain) or a politician gaining more votes (thus more power and influence and possible financial gain) or a leader of industry getting more orders for weapons and other supplies for an army and possibly gaining large subsidies for research and development of new weapons (thus financial gain and possibly more power and influence). Thus the small minority that have the most to gain from war, are usually the ones that are in a position to influence whether a country goes to war or not, even if it is not the the interest of the general public. All it needs is a bit of spin/propaganda/hype to get the general public to happily go along with this deception.HallsofIvy said:Just before WWI a very popular book was written showing that modern war would cost both sides more than they could gain by it. Therefore war was "uneconomic" and there would never be another war! Of course, WWI did happen, showing that the impetus to war is neither economic nor rational.
Sean Gourley's interest in the mathematics of war began during his time serving in the New Zealand Army. He noticed patterns and trends in the data he collected and became curious about applying mathematical and statistical analysis to understand the dynamics of war.
Sean Gourley's research focuses on using mathematical models and algorithms to analyze data from past and current conflicts in order to predict and prevent future conflicts. He also studies the impact of technology and network structures on the behavior of conflicts.
By studying the mathematics of war, researchers like Sean Gourley can identify patterns and factors that contribute to conflicts. This knowledge can then be used to develop strategies and policies to prevent conflicts from occurring in the future.
Sean Gourley's research has been used to analyze and predict conflicts in regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also been applied to other fields, such as studying the spread of diseases and analyzing financial markets.
As a physicist, Sean Gourley has a strong foundation in mathematical modeling and data analysis. This background allows him to apply complex mathematical concepts to the study of war and conflict, providing new insights and perspectives.