Within a policy infrastructure, a set of rules governing interactions can be established. Remember, these are now rules derived from human cognitive processes. In some infrastructures, the rules are referred to as law; in others, as codes of conduct. Along with the rules generally comes a definition of the characteristics of the interaction process, including how is an interaction initiated, how is it terminated and what goes on in between. A central necessity of having rules is knowing whom the rules apply to. As a consequence, a policy infrastructure must either provide, or have access to, a means of identification of the members of the social ecosystem. At the termination of an interaction, there typically is a result. In some instances, the existence of an interaction generates forensic evidence that it has occurred; in fact, this may actually be formalized in an interaction record that makes an historical artifact of all the aspects of what went on. Finally, there are typically consequences to interactions. These consequences may simply be the result of the interaction, or they may comprise collateral attributes that naturally follow from the transaction. In some instances, the consequences may involve sanctions in the event that the results of the transaction don’t follow the rules.

The function of the policy infrastructure is to facilitate interactions. The structure of interactions is interesting in its own right.

Interactions

The mechanism through which one entity influences another is termed an interaction. All interactions ultimately are effected through the four elemental forces of nature that we alluded to earlier. Within a physical ecosystem, these forces are the root enablers of all interactions. We note that these elemental forces are infinite in scope; that is, they are continuously in effect. This infinite extent is ameliorated in many instances by virtue of the fact that the influence of the various forces can be infinitesimally small over large interaction distances, where large varies from force to force. Within social ecosystems, however, we can identify more complex forms of interactions. Of greatest interest to us are the interactions among people, between people and members of other species and between people and specific aspects of the ecosystem in which they exist. Because computers and their subsequent combinations through networks are in many functions the mechanical extensions of people, we view them as natural elements of interactions.

If, for the moment, we limit our consideration to interactions between people that do not make use of any type of mechanical means to extend their presence or effect within the ecosystem, then these interactions must occur between entities in relatively close proximity to each other; close being determined by the specific physical mechanisms through which the interaction occurs. People can see each other at significant distances and can interact through visibility mechanisms at such distances; think hand gestures and signals. Interactions based on sound will typically have a somewhat lesser extent than visibility mechanisms. In many environments, people can see further than they can hear, and their abilities to interact are correspondingly limited; think plains and deserts. Of course, in other environments sight may be limited and sound the longer distance mechanism; think jungles or a dark night. Interactions based on tastes or smells can be of even shorter range. These two senses are highly interrelated and allow for very subtle characteristics to be addressed during interactions.

Sight and hearing will typically offer some directionality. “I see a large animal over there” or “I hear a threatening sound from that direction.” The sense of touch offers a very close range tactile appraisal of the physical world nearby. The body is replete with sensors that register a variety of sensations, from the coolness of a breath of wind on one’s face to the warmth of the sun on one’s

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