G.O.D.: Generalized Open System Dynamics

Dr. Bob Melamede had a way of reframing things that would stop you in your tracks. One of his most provocative ideas was his definition of G.O.D.

Not the bearded guy in the sky. G.O.D. as an acronym: Generalized Open System Dynamics.

What Does That Mean?

An open system is one that exchanges energy and matter with its environment. You are an open system. So is a hurricane. So is an economy. So is the biosphere.

These systems follow certain dynamics—they self-organize, they adapt, they evolve. They create order out of chaos by dissipating energy. This is far-from-equilibrium thermodynamics in action.

Dr. Bob's insight was that these dynamics are universal. They apply at every scale, from molecules to galaxies. And if you want to call that universal organizing principle "God," well, that's as good a definition as any.

Science and Spirituality

This isn't about replacing religion with science or vice versa. It's about recognizing that the awe we feel when contemplating the universe—that sense of something greater than ourselves—has a basis in physics.

The universe is creative. It generates novelty. It produces complexity from simplicity. It makes life possible. If that's not divine, I don't know what is.

"G.O.D. isn't a being—it's a process. The universe creating itself, moment by moment."

Practical Implications

If G.O.D. is the process of open system dynamics, then aligning with G.O.D. means aligning with those dynamics. It means being open to change, embracing novelty, participating in the creative process of the universe.

The Forward-Looking People are aligned with G.O.D. in this sense. They're participating in the universe's creative process. The Backward-Looking People are resisting it, trying to maintain closed systems in an open universe.

Your endocannabinoid system is part of this process. It's how your body maintains its open system dynamics, adapting to change, maintaining homeostasis in a constantly shifting environment.

Support it. Align with G.O.D. The universe is on your side—if you let it be.