User:Thomas Mandel/General Systems Theory: Difference between revisions
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General Systems Theory is the title of a book written by Ludwitg von Bertanffy first published in 1968. <ref>Insert footnote text here</ref>It is not, however, a book about a theory. Theory is a translation of the original German Theorie which has a meaning closer to the English word "teaching."<ref>Insert footnote text here</ref> We will be using the phrase General Systems THeory (GST) throughout this article because that is how it was translated and used in the English languages. | General Systems Theory is the title of a book written by Ludwitg von Bertanffy first published in 1968. <ref>Insert footnote text here</ref>It is not, however, a book about a theory. Theory is a translation of the original German Theorie which has a meaning closer to the English word "teaching."<ref>Insert footnote text here</ref> We will be using the phrase General Systems THeory (GST) throughout this article because that is how it was translated and used in the English languages. | ||
GST is primarily about general principles of systems which can be applied to all systems regardless of their content. When used in this way, system has a | GST is primarily about general principles of systems which can be applied to all systems regardless of their content. When used in this way, system has a general "philosophical" definition which is defined by Bertalanffy as "elements in standing relationship." (ref) Systems such as a system of arrangement, or as a procedure of how to do a particular task, or even "my system" are not the kinds of systems Bertalanffy talked about. He often referred to organismic systems, essentially those systems which integrate the elements resulting in a new and different whole. This aspect is crucial to understanding integrative systems because the new whole will generally have properties that are not found in the constituent parts. One example is liquid water, made of gases. We do not experience those gases, instead we experience their relationship,e.g., the wetness. | ||
===Introduction=== | ===Introduction=== | ||
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====On the History of Systems Theory==== | ====On the History of Systems Theory==== | ||
===The meaning of General Systems Theory=== | ===The meaning of General Systems Theory=== | ||
"We may state as characteristic of modern science that the scheme of isolable units acting in one-way causality has proved to be insufficient. Hence the appearance, in all fields of science, of notions like wholeness, holistic, oraganismic, gestalt, etc., which all signify that, in the last resort, we must think in terms of systems of elements in mutual interaction." <ref>ibid p 45</ref> | |||
===Some System concepts=== | ===Some System concepts=== | ||
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===Some aspects of System Theory in Biology=== | ===Some aspects of System Theory in Biology=== | ||
===The system concept in the Science of Man=== | |||
===General System Theory in Psychology and Psychiatry=== | ===General System Theory in Psychology and Psychiatry=== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
== | ==Related links== | ||
[[Category:CZ Live]] | [[Category:CZ Live]] | ||
[[Category:Stub Articles]] | [[Category:Stub Articles]] | ||
Revision as of 12:08, 30 March 2008
General Systems Theory is the title of a book written by Ludwitg von Bertanffy first published in 1968. [1]It is not, however, a book about a theory. Theory is a translation of the original German Theorie which has a meaning closer to the English word "teaching."[2] We will be using the phrase General Systems THeory (GST) throughout this article because that is how it was translated and used in the English languages.
GST is primarily about general principles of systems which can be applied to all systems regardless of their content. When used in this way, system has a general "philosophical" definition which is defined by Bertalanffy as "elements in standing relationship." (ref) Systems such as a system of arrangement, or as a procedure of how to do a particular task, or even "my system" are not the kinds of systems Bertalanffy talked about. He often referred to organismic systems, essentially those systems which integrate the elements resulting in a new and different whole. This aspect is crucial to understanding integrative systems because the new whole will generally have properties that are not found in the constituent parts. One example is liquid water, made of gases. We do not experience those gases, instead we experience their relationship,e.g., the wetness.
Introduction
Systems Everywhere
On the History of Systems Theory
The meaning of General Systems Theory
"We may state as characteristic of modern science that the scheme of isolable units acting in one-way causality has proved to be insufficient. Hence the appearance, in all fields of science, of notions like wholeness, holistic, oraganismic, gestalt, etc., which all signify that, in the last resort, we must think in terms of systems of elements in mutual interaction." [3]