Alexander von Humboldt's Idea of Interconnectedness and its Relationship to Inter-Disciplinarity and Communication

Transcription

1 3 Alexander von Humboldt's Idea of Interconnectedness and its Relationship to Inter-Disciplinarity and Communication 6th International Multi-Conference on Complexity, Informatics and Cybernetics Orlando, 2015 Prof. Dr. Detlev Doherr

2 Introduction I have omitted to state above the extreme satisfaction I have received from Baron Humboldt s communications. The treasures of information which he possesses are inestimable and fill us with impatience for their appearance in print. Thomas Jefferson, June 7, 1804 I formerly admired Humboldt, I now almost adore him... Charles Darwin, letter, May 18, 1832 April 29-July 26, 2014: Americas Society presents Unity of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt and the Americas The eminent Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould said, he was "probably the world's most famous and influential intellectual [of the early nineteenth century]. 2

3 Who was Alexander von Humboldt Alexander von Humboldt: A scientific traveler to the Americas 3

4 His Travels to the Americas Source: Wikipedia, Alexander von Humboldt s Latin America expedition 4

5 Humboldt s Idea of Nature 5

6 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Precise Descriptions of Phenomena The little Apothecary 6

7 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Holistic Vision Cosmos: The principal impulse by which I was directed was the earnest endeavor to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection and to represent nature as one great whole, moved and animated by internal forces. Humboldt and Aime Bonpland at the Foot of the Chimborazo. Painting by Friedrich Georg Weitsch (1810) 7

8 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Interdisciplinarity H. saw the natural world and human nature in the context of a complex network of relationships 8

9 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Time and Space Humboldt saw all phenomena in the context of a historical development 9

10 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Interconnectedness Alles ist Wechselwirkung [everything is interconnected and interdependent] 10

11 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Unity April 29-July 26, 2014: Americas Society presents Unity of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt and the Americas, the first exhibition in New York to focus on the intrepid Prussian explorer, scientist, diplomat, and author. The eminent Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould said he was "probably the world's most famous and influential intellectual [of the early nineteenth century]. 11

12 Humboldt s Idea of Nature Hypertextuality Humboldt always spanned a network of texts and pictures, to imitate nature itself 12

13 Impact to natural Sciences Humboldtian science: The accurate, measured study of widespread but interconnected real phenomena in order to find a definite law and a dynamic cause. 13

14 Impact to natural Sciences Plant Geography 14

15 Impact to natural Sciences Darwin s Evolution Theory I formerly admired Humboldt, I now almost adore him... Charles Darwin, letter, May 18,

16 Impact to natural Sciences Geosciences 16

17 Impact to natural Sciences Meteorology Isothermal chart, or, View of climates & productions / drawn from the accounts of Humboldt & others, by W.C. Woodbridge. 17

18 Impact to Natural Sciences Sustainability Landscape in the focus of both scientific and humanistic studies showing Gas volcanoes of Turbaco in Colombia Source: A. de Humboldt, 1810, Vue des Cordillères,table

19 Accessability of his Works 19

20 Accessability of his Works Struggled with printed Documents 20

21 Accessability of his Works Digital Libraries 21

22 If Humboldt had a Computer? 22

23 Status Quo: HDL and Humboldt Portal 23

24 HDL- System Information The digital library provides a list of available volumes, published by Humboldt, which can be opened by mouse click. An alternative way is the use Information retrieval module to search for existing terms or phases. 24

25 HDL- Information Technology Digital Library: Digital formats Repositories Meta Data Information System: Multilingual Data Meta Data Search Methods Information Retrieval Module Multidimensional Navigation Tools 25

26 Humboldt Portal Comprehensive Seach Link to suggested Archive Autocomplete List Analysis of expected Results 26 Delete Word Separations Detection of Spelling Mistakes 26

27 Visions The HDL can integrate all published documents and connect online archives together. So HDL is a prototype of a new interactive digital library, which can adequately represent the Humboldtian Science on the Web and can establish worldwide interactive networking! 27

28 Summary The works of Alexander von Humboldt are containing treasures of the Humboldtian Science and are requiring an adequate presentation on Internet. Information Technology is the only way to do justice to the broad range of visions, descriptions and idea of nature of Humboldt s legacy. It finally leads to virtual research environments as an adequate concept to redesign our digital archives not only for the documents of Humboldt but for all interconnected data! 28