Conference: Complexities of Time

“The world remains, always, a bundle of processes evolving in time,” — Lee Smolin

We, the world that we live in and the universe(s) we are part of, are being shaped and have been shaped by processes that evolve(d) along different time scales. Think of the time scales of evolution (from the expansion of the universe to the development of life, the diversity of life and the extinction of species), the time scales of chemical reactions and our metabolic processes, the time scales of social processes, and the time scales (linear or circular) along which our histories, communities, families and individual lives develop. The processes that evolve along those time scales interact in ways that give cause to phenomena of change that somehow lead to the reality we live in. Through legends, literature, art and science we know the outcome of these interactions, but the dynamics and complexities of these interactions are largely unknown.

The seventh Para Limes complexity conference is about “Complexities of Time”¹. It will raise questions about the nature of time and change, as well as the geographical, geophysical, cultural and the very personal dimensions to time. It will also raise questions about how to deal with these different dimensions of time and what that will mean for analyzing and understanding our past, and sensing and exploring our future, how to manage our science, our lives, our systems, or the world we live in.

The annual complexity conferences have become widely recognized as unique in South East Asia. For these conferences, we invite some of the best scientists and thinkers in the area of complexity. To hear them share their insights and partake in their discussions is a great experience for all participants.

This seventh conference also marks the launch of the Complexity Institute at NTU as the hub for a South East Asian Complexity Network. Thus, the conference is jointly organized by Para Limes and the Complexity Institute.

_{¹The earlier conferences were: “More is Different” (2012), “A Crude Look at the Whole” (2013), “Hidden Connections” (2014), “Emerging Patterns” (2015), “Silent Transformations” (2016) and “Causality-Reality” (2017). The first three conferences were organized by NTU’s complexity program, the predecessor of Para Limes. Para Limes alludes to a world beyond boundaries.}