DP: Sommerfield was right, complementarity is the key!
I am convinced that if there is a way to reverse the course of the current global crisis is through three key bridges, we need to build: One is called Complementarity, the second is called Co-working and the third is called Open innovation. In this blog post I will share some thoughts about the first bridge: complementarity. Please bear with me on this one because people think it’s obvious but somehow nobody uses it.
“Complementarity” is a word that is meaningless if not applied as the action of adding value to the whole forming an improved whole. So I hope you are still reading after this, now I will give you an example of this by telling you a true story.
It is possible that many people outside the scientific discipline has not ever heard of Arnold Sommerfeld (A.K.A AS) or may never have heard of his work. But the best example of the application of the complementarity is seen in Sommerfeld great contribution to the atom theory formulated by Bohr. This controversial theory attempted to explain how electrons can have stable orbits around the nucleus, which not only contradicted classical Newtonian mechanics, but also to classical electromagnetic theory formulated in the nineteenth century. So do you get the picture? Bohr vs. Newton and his gang (followers), not easy…
Would you keep reading if I tell you that Sommerfeld discoveries have helped explain the reasons for our existence?, and has helped to establish the foundations of one of the most revolutionary disciplines of all time, Quantum Mechanics! Yes, the one that tries to explains the origin of the universe!
Sommerfeld introduce the concept of non-circular orbits (elliptical orbits) for the electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom. This explains the behavior of electrons and the difference of energy levels. For a none-scientific reader this might not ring any bells but it is huge!
What is the take away of this story?
That unlike the competition principle, complementarity can generate solutions to support an established idea adding new elements capable of redefining and improving what already exist. Consider for a moment the potential of this principle, imagine a game play that is not based on the “win” or “lose” scenario, like most games; but the purpose of the game is to add value to your posture, your idea, your strategy. You may not find immediately sense to this concept, because we face an entrenched system of competition.
Building this bridge called complementarity will have a huge impact on society if applied. The Sommerfeld approach was different, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel; he found a way to add value to the Bohr model and in this way he added value to humanity.
If you are interested in building the aforementioned bridges, stay tuned for the next blog post. 
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15 Dec 2012
por
Juan Machado Sanchez
IMSD /
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