Turning Chaos into Meaning: A Cognitive Approach to Public Policy

Chaos dynamics are abundantly present in nature as well as in societies as an undesirable phenomenon. Sometimes, chaotic situations and problems are associated with a lack of meaning to understand their dynamics. The ability to control chaos, to enforce or suppress it, includes the capacity to understand those situations and problems, their meaning, and to develop new concepts and processes to manage them. This chapter presents a cognitive approach to public policy, identifying new concepts and processes to face social problems. Giving meaning to problems that were previously seen as chaotic. Generating a model of interventions to overcome them.