*This was a session at the August 2018 [Resilient Communities Mini-Unconference](/Resilient_Communities_Mini-Unconference). It was combined with [Identifying the core ingredients of resilient communities](/Identifying_the_core_ingredients_of_resilient_communities) and [Can we make resilience look more smooth and avoid collapses?](/Can_we_make_resilience_look_more_smooth_and_avoid_collapses?) but [Ben](/Ben) has made an effort to separate the subjects into their own pages.*
### Attendees
- [Shawn](/Shawn) (convener)
- Steve
- Judy (joined later)
- [Ben](/Ben) (joined later, note-taker)
### Discussion
- Steve and Shawn talked about whether the systems science approach can/should be applied to diverse fields with their own subject-matter experts
- Judy is doubtful that theories of social systems can be reduced to math and physics, e.g. predicting who will end up as leaders of a society
- Shawn: One theory is it will be the ones who have the most force
- Judy: But force comes in more forms than guns, e.g. force of personality
- Shawn: It's certainly not deterministic