Axioms 1.0

Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
If, when, why, what?
How much have you got?
--Pet Shop Boys

Let's see if we can stitch together a basic list of axioms from previous missives (here, here, here, here). These are basic, what Jefferson might refer to as 'self-evident,' truths, grounded in nature and human behavior, that any social system needs to cope with.

1.0 State of Nature

1.1 Diversity. Nature is grounded in diversity. Variation, in fact, is necessary to advance the evolutionary cycle. Humans are like the rest of nature. Simple observation shows that we differ physically, of course. It is just as apparent that we differ inwardly as well. We differ in skills and abilities, taste preferences, risk tolerance, emotional content, goals, drive for success, and cognitive abilities--among other things.

1.2 Scarcity. Although Earth abounds with resources, many of them are in a raw form not immediately useful for human consumption or use. Contrary to first impression, in its unalterated form, nature presents a state of scarcity for supporting the human condition.

2.0 Human Behavior

2.1 Self-interest. Humans behave in a self-interested manner. This does not necessarily mean that we behave 'selfishly' or 'materialistically' in the common sense of those words. Human behavior may be altruistic; the income gained from human action may be psychic, e.g., we feel better by helping others, or we get satisfaction from seeing the world configured according to our vision. Nonetheless, people behave in a manner that helps them fulfill their own desires.

2.2 Insatiable desires. Humans constantly seek a more abundant life. When lower level wants are satisfied, individuals will then seek satisfaction of higher level wants. Essentially, human desires are unbounded.

2.3 Ability to prioritize. Unlike others in the animal kingdom, humans can prioritize their wants. Humans generally possess a consciousness of comparable desires, and can make choices based on priorities.

2.4 Bounded rationality. Although the upper bound differs among individuals (1.1), people are limited in their cognitive abilities. The more complex the situation, the more difficult sensemaking and decision-making becomes.

2.5 Economizing. Because resources, including time, are scarce (1.2), humans behave in manners that conserve, or economize, these resources. 

3.0 Labor

3.1 Requirement for production, labor. Because the raw state of nature is one of scarcity (1.2), sustainable human life requires production. Production is the application of labor to raw materials in order to transform conditions of scarcity into abundance that can be applied toward the satisfaction of human desires (2.2).

3.2 Aversion to labor. When prioritizing (2.3), people prefer leisure over labor. Humans engage in work because they want to satisfy desires (2.2) and production is necessary to satisfy them (3.1).

3.3 Law of Parsimmony. Because production is necessary (3.1) despite general aversion to labor (3.2), humans economize (2.5) their labor, seeking the greatest amount of satisfaction relative to labor exerted. Taken to the extreme, the urge to get the most benefit for the least effort, or cost, stretches into a drive for 'getting something for nothing.'

4.0 Consumption

4.1 Now preference. When prioritizing (2.3), people prefer to satisfy desires (2.2) today rather than tomorrow.

4.2 Diminishing marginal utility. When satisfying a particular desire (2.2), greater consumption toward that end leads to less satisfaction per unit consumed.

Again, the idea here is to build a list of axiomatic 'truths' that any social system needs to navigate. We've surely omitted some things; this list will be revised as other axioms become apparent. But this should serve as a nice working list for future thought.