Usually 2, unless 1 is an abstraction.
An interesting context to look at this in is the addition of ideas.
Let someone's idea be 1.
a. If another person has the same idea, putting those together gains nothing: 1+1 = 1.
A group that does not question ideas does not gain from its diversity and individuals.
The longterm trend of this group is just whatever the individual who originates the ideas (usually others just nod along) produces.
Let two people have different ideas, each is 1.
Since the ideas are not in agreement, a lot of different results can occur:
b. One of them bullies the other into accepting their idea: 1+1 = 1 (and time was wasted and feelings are hurt)
c. Consensus is not reached, nothing happens: 1+1 = 0 (lose-lose)
d. A compromise is reached where the overlapping parts of the ideas are kept: 1+1 in (0,1)
e. The ideas are used as the basis for arriving at a new, better idea: 1+1 in (1, inf)
These results are not inherently amazing or surprising, but they explain why certain systems work better than others. Scaling each of these up we see:
a. Popular dictator or religious leader
The populace accepts the mantra and goes with it. However, the group adapts slowly to changes and is not resilient to deterioration due to a poor leader. Eventually, a leader will be poor and the system will crumble.
b. Authoritarian regime
People learn that dissenting ideas will be fought and overridden. They either choose to stop resisting and society becomes a lower-functioning version of [a], or they continue having contradicting ideas which cause the regime to spend resources on enforcement and the system eventually crumbles due to inefficiency and resistance.
c. Current United States Congress
Nothing more to say.
d. Typical Congressional or Parliamentary system
Ideas are often severely hampered by the time they go into effect. Various special interests all tug an initially sound proposal in incoherent directions. However, it's less fragile than [a] because some members are always yanking in positive directions. The system has resilience from the many members involved.
e. Free market
Lots of people have lots of ideas. Some of them collaborate to produce super ideas. The super ideas win out over time. Other people have ideas that combine with the super ideas. The best combinations prove themselves to be the next wave of super ideas. The weaker ideas fade away. The system is most resilient and quickly evolving because there's incentive and freedom to create super ideas.
An interesting context to look at this in is the addition of ideas.
Let someone's idea be 1.
a. If another person has the same idea, putting those together gains nothing: 1+1 = 1.
A group that does not question ideas does not gain from its diversity and individuals.
The longterm trend of this group is just whatever the individual who originates the ideas (usually others just nod along) produces.
Let two people have different ideas, each is 1.
Since the ideas are not in agreement, a lot of different results can occur:
b. One of them bullies the other into accepting their idea: 1+1 = 1 (and time was wasted and feelings are hurt)
c. Consensus is not reached, nothing happens: 1+1 = 0 (lose-lose)
d. A compromise is reached where the overlapping parts of the ideas are kept: 1+1 in (0,1)
e. The ideas are used as the basis for arriving at a new, better idea: 1+1 in (1, inf)
These results are not inherently amazing or surprising, but they explain why certain systems work better than others. Scaling each of these up we see:
a. Popular dictator or religious leader
The populace accepts the mantra and goes with it. However, the group adapts slowly to changes and is not resilient to deterioration due to a poor leader. Eventually, a leader will be poor and the system will crumble.
b. Authoritarian regime
People learn that dissenting ideas will be fought and overridden. They either choose to stop resisting and society becomes a lower-functioning version of [a], or they continue having contradicting ideas which cause the regime to spend resources on enforcement and the system eventually crumbles due to inefficiency and resistance.
c. Current United States Congress
Nothing more to say.
d. Typical Congressional or Parliamentary system
Ideas are often severely hampered by the time they go into effect. Various special interests all tug an initially sound proposal in incoherent directions. However, it's less fragile than [a] because some members are always yanking in positive directions. The system has resilience from the many members involved.
e. Free market
Lots of people have lots of ideas. Some of them collaborate to produce super ideas. The super ideas win out over time. Other people have ideas that combine with the super ideas. The best combinations prove themselves to be the next wave of super ideas. The weaker ideas fade away. The system is most resilient and quickly evolving because there's incentive and freedom to create super ideas.
