24408 - The resistive cohesion

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Vicky Baklessi

When we examine certain mental schemes in strategy games, as in Hex (on a simple level) and Go (on a complex level) we see that the notion of cohesion is fundamental. In fact we can say that cohesion is based on the notion of the edge. In other words it plays dynamically with the edges and creates fronts on a local level and frontiers on an overall level. In this manner even if we place on the field unmovable stones, in essence a basin of attraction is created which changes continuously with the placement of new elements even if the previous ones haven’t moved. We see this phenomenon also in geopolitics, because the establishment of new elements can change the style of a region due to the connecting character which appears with the size of the population. This means that if the older elements, the first stones don’t unite with some new ones to create a resistive cohesion, then entire regions may change in nature. In this context the mental schemes of Go help dramatically in order to study the greater picture. Otherwise we are under the impression that there are many local problems which concern only tactics, while in reality with certain strategic positions there can be a total change, which becomes obvious only afterwards. But the awareness of these schemes allows forecasts in the depths of time which seem completely inconceivable to those who examine only the present and the presence.