The Center "Leo Apostel"

invites you to the third & fourth of its interdisciplinary seminars in the special

series "Foundations". In this series, that starts this semester but continuous

on into next year, CLEA invites scholars that are actively engaged

in the research on the foundations of a particular discipline. The lecture shall

always be directed to an interdisciplinary audience, and the discussions

aim at confronting the foundations of the different disciplines.

Scale Dimensions: An Approach to Understanding Multiple Levels in Natural and Artificial Systems

by Prof. Dr. Ivan M. Havel

( Center for Theoretical Studies, Charles University and

the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic)

Monday, April 15 at 5 pm in room L 210 (building L, 2nd floor)

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Campus Oefenplein.

About the lecture:

A new "dimension" of reality is proposed, which is often neglected in our conceptions of natural world. This dimension is related to the order of spatial scales and can be represented by means of a special coordinate axis, orthogonal to the ordinary spatial coordinate axes. Another similar dimension can be associated also with temporal scales.

In the lecture various geometrical, physical, and systemic aspects of the new dimension will be implied, as well as of the related concept of (a hierarchy of) functional or descrip-tional levels and the role of interaction between them.

About the speaker:

IVAN M. HAVEL Ph.D. (brother of Vaclav, Czech president), is an Associate Professor (Docent) at the Charles University.

He graduated in 1966 from Czech Technical University in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

During1969-71 he attended the University of California at Berkeley, earning a doctorate in Computer Science.

His fields of interest are artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and philosophy of science. He is the Director of the Center for Theoretical Study, an institute of advanced studies affiliated with Charles University and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The aims of this center are very similar to those of CLEA and a closer collaboration is being explored. He teaches at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics.

and


Foundations of a New Economy

by Prof. Dr. Ricardo Petrella

( President of the Group of Lisbon, Université Catholique de Louvain)

Friday, April 19 at 5 pm in aula QD

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Campus Oefenplein.

The presentations with questions will last about an hour. Afterwards, an hour or more is reserved for an in-depth, group discussion of the topic. Sandwiches will be served during the break.

Next lectures that are planned:

Prof. dr. Simon Diner (Fondation Louis De Broglie, Paris), probably May 20

Prof. dr. Luc Steels (Arificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), June 7, 5 p.m.

Prof. dr. H.J. Achterhuis (Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, University of Twente), November '96

More info at the CLEA office: phone ++32-02-629 33 73 (afternoon)

or via the Web-page: http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CLEA/