The Oblivion of Churchman's Plea for a Systems Approach to World Problems. III. The Fall of the Modern Constellation

This is the third article in a trilogy devoted to inquiring about the historical rise and fall of the ideal involved in a systems approach to world problems, so clearly stated by Churchman at the end of the sixties. In the first part of this third article, the historical conditions for the extinction of the modern constellation are discussed. In the second part, a rough outline of what is left by that process of extinction is drawn. In that way, on the one hand, an explanation of the oblivion of Churchman's plea for a systems approach to world problems is completed and, on the other, Rorty's proposition to perform economic triage is comprehended and, thus, refuted.     

A Fresh Look at The Systems Approach and an Agenda for Action: Peeking Through the Lens of Churchman's Aphorisms

This paper critically examines some important topics of systemic thinking to understand how our perception of problems can be enhanced and how the chances of deception can be mitigated while dealing with real-world problems. To achieve this objective, an attempt is first made to scrutinize some of the key issues of systemic thinking by looking through the lens of Churchman's aphorisms at: (1) the illusion of completeness and closure, (2) the meaning of holism, and (3) the concept of ‘Interbeing’. A preliminary ‘agenda for action’ is then laid out suggesting ways for increasing our perception and for minimizing the chances of being deceived in dealing with systems problems in practice.     

The Relationship of ‘Systems Thinking’ to Action Research

This article investigates the relationship of systems thinking to action research by reviewing the main developments in systems thinking and relating these to action research. There are two main lines of thought in systems thinking that lead to wholly different conceptions about action research. The first (systems thinking) advocates thinking about real social systems that it assumes exist in the world. The second (systemic thinking) supposes only that the social construction of the world is systemic. Greater emphasis is placed on systemic thinking consistent with its greater importance to contemporary action research. The article concludes that systemic thinking when taken to its practical conclusion from a critical perspective offers to action research a somewhat unique liberating praxis. Concern that any liberating praxis could remain hollow is addressed through a certain kind of ‘spiritual’ awareness that is suggested by wholeness.     

Arts,Culture and Science and Their Relationships

The context of this analysis is the golden years of the decade of the 1960s that served as a backdrop for consolidating capitalism and the globalized world. The aim is to analyze, understand and establish possible connections between the arts in general and the world in which modern society operates. This is a theoretical essay anchored in theoretical assumptions of sociology, arts and the culture of the globalized world and built on the practical experience of these researchers. We use the interpretative approach and technique of hermeneutic phenomenology to give meaning to historical events and the cultural and artistic implications of these events in the rise of science and technology. A systemic examination supports the relationship between art, culture, science and technology. The evidence shows that artistic and cultural issues are essential to make sense of life in society and in the absence of such basis, the world would be meaningless and humans would lose a sense of direction. It can be concluded that the arts are becoming increasingly relevant as the virtual world becomes large-scale and truly global, and that the development of science and technology benefits from the rise of the cultural and artistic world of today. Finally, the correspondence between the artistic and cultural world and the current scientific and technological development confirms the emergence of a globalized, digitalised (virtual) knowledge society.     

A Brief Crack of Light?

This is a contribution to an inquiry into the historical meaning of Professor Checkland's soft systems thinking. Heidegger's picture of the present postmodern (or high-modern) epoch provides a context for unfolding that historical meaning. The discussion is focused on the possibility that Checkland's thinking could represent one of the "brief cracks" in the solid neo-instrumental way of appearing (whatever-is-the-case) that characterizes our present epoch.     

Churchman's “process of unfolding”—Its significance for policy analysis and evaluation

Churchman's process of unfolding is one of his lesser known concepts, yet it is essential for understanding his dialectical systems approach. This paper gives a brief introduction to the concept and presents a simple framework for applying it to policy analysis and program evaluation.     

Toward Fostering Systems Learning in Organizational Contexts

This article explores the ways in which the process of systems learning can be nurtured in organizational contexts. I posit that in order to mobilize systems learning at the individual, group, and organizational levels, an integrated, holistic approach must be pursued. It is suggested that the challenge of not only teaching the systems thinking concepts but also using their actual applications in practice is more than just an issue of pedagogical improvement. The cultural and material issues integral to the use of systems thinking must be taken into consideration as well. I argue that our efforts to improve our pedagogical practices to foster systems learning in organizational contexts can benefit from the social constructivist perspective, which represents a system of ideas about learning. The qualities of systems pedagogy resided in social constructivism are proposed as a framework to think with in designing the meaningful systems learning activities. This article also discusses how to create the cultural and material environments in which the process of systems learning can be nurtured.     

袁隆平杂交水稻育种栽培思想方法范式系统研究——再论自主创新的法宝

范式是科学活动革命性的探索计划和解决难题的范例。袁隆平创立的杂交水稻育种栽培思想方法具有范式的品质。本文,运用辩证系统思想方法,系统地研究了袁隆平遵循现代基因育种规律进行杂交水稻育种栽培的科学历程,揭示出＂思想方法＂与＂科学飞跃＂之间的真谛,特别是揭示出从源头上创新杂交水稻育种栽培思想方法,与引领杂交水稻育种栽培理论和实践飞跃、掀起了世界第二次绿色革命的思想方法范式系统真谛。由此,提出＂杂交水稻育种栽培思想方法范式系统＂新概念,并着力建构杂交水稻育种栽培思想方法范式系统,即杂交水稻育种栽培的观念技术创新思想方法、形式技术创新思想方法、形象技术创新思想方法、中试技术创新思想方法和实践技术创新思想方法的范式系统。这一范式系统理论,不仅丰富了从理论到实践飞跃的思想方法范式宝库,而且是一个引领技术自主创新的理论。     

Thinking and Acting Systematically About the Anthropocene

To overcome the many difficulties facing our planet during the emergent Anthropocene epoch, it has become incumbent on human beings to practice systems thinking. This paper addresses this requirement in three ways. First, it identifies debates about the meaning, historical background, and scope of the Anthropocene that a clearer understanding of systems theory could help redirect to better effect. Second, it analyzes suggestions for practical efforts to deal with the crises to which system theory could contribute more effectively, both in terms of geoengineering and of cosmopolitan global citizenship. Third, it engages with emergent issues of praxis in terms of human psychological and social systems for which we need to extend, explore, and exploit systems thought in new directions if we are to have any realistic hope of dealing successfully with the crises. Specifically, while assigning causation to the complex human-triggered disruptions to earth’s systems and finding technical solutions to them require classic systems theory, it is also becoming obvious that to heal the rifts in the earth’s system, we must address the emotional bonds (and repulsions) that govern human systemic relationships, especially as refracted through the concept of resilience. Only in this way, it is argued, can we recreate a sustainable earth system as a web of transactions between humans and with the rest of their planet.     

Discordant pluralism: A new strategy for critical systems thinking

Systems science is characterised by a huge diversity of theories and practical applications which have arisen since its inception. Each of these theories and ways of practising systems science has legitimate claims for its ability to handle certain kinds of systems problems. Dealing with this diversity can be seen as a critical issue for systems thinking and practice. One approach to handling this rich diversity has been to attempt to capture it in frameworks which align features and positions in a “complementarist” fashion. By reviewing work undertaken by systems thinkers who have advocated such a stance, it will be demonstrated that complementarism has its faults, and can be perceived as an imperialist strategy. A route out of the impasse will be suggested through the use of a form of discordant pluralism, which, if taken up, has the potential for bringing together conflicting perspectives in a new constellation.     

The Future of Systems Thinking

Due to the diminishing popularity of systems thinking, an attempt is done to predict its future in the university world. Two starting points are used: one in the traditional scientific community, being its habitat; and the other in the surrounding society, being its area of application. The investigation shows that systems thinking is highly needed, although its nearest future seems bleak. The systemic challenge to the traditional academic world has unfortunately been taken as a threat against its existence. The scientific and educational impact of systems thinking is therefore opposed as an alternative to the old scientific paradigm. Furthermore, the resistance to new theories moving across disciplinary boundaries seems stronger than resistance to theories within the disciplines.     

The trap of evolutionary organicism

This article is a slightly summarized version of an invited plenary at the Aegean Seminar, which took place at the Greek island of Samos in July 1992. The original title was “An Interpretive Systemological View of the Issue: ‘Environmental Fluctuations and Cultural Change in Island Societies.”’ It is an hermeneutical inquiry into the interpretive context that provides full meaning to the issue of Environmental Fluctuations and Cultural Change. The roots of the relationship of causality embedded in such a title are traced so that its underlying ontological assumptions are uncovered. This sort of archaeological inquiry will finally unearth the interpretive context that provides full meaning to such a relationship of causality, namely,neoevolutionary organicism. This theoretical outcome of Modernity embraces natural and social sciences under the aegis of a single way of thinking, feeling, and acting which buries the Enlightenment conception of liberty and its consequent problem of morality and of practical reason.     

The critical kernel in modern systems thinking

This paper unpeels two influential contributions to modern systems thinking, Beer's viable system model (VSM) and Checkland's soft systems methodology (SSM), and finds inside a critical kernel. It is argued, indeed, that these approaches become coherent only when liberated from their regulative shells and interpreted from the critical position. So much does the critical kernel lie at the very heart of modern systems thinking.     

Intersections of Critical Systems Thinking and Community Based Participatory Research: A Learning Organization Example with the Autistic Community

Critical systems thinking (CST) and community based participatory research (CBPR) are distinct approaches to inquiry which share a primary commitment to holism and human emancipation, as well as common grounding in critical theory and emancipatory and pragmatic philosophy. This paper explores their intersections and complements on a historical, philosophical, and theoretical level, and then proposes a hybrid approach achieved by applying CBPR’s principles and considerations for operationalizing emancipatory practice to traditional systems thinking frameworks and practices. This hybrid approach is illustrated in practice with examples drawn from of the implementation of the learning organization model in an action research setting with the Autistic community. Our experience of being able to actively attend to, and continuously equalize, power relations within an organizational framework that otherwise has great potential for reinforcing power inequity suggests CBPR’s principles and considerations for operationalizing emancipatory practice could be useful in CST settings, and CST’s vocabulary, methods, and clarity around systems thinking concepts could be valuable to CBPR practitioners.     

"匀速论"是一切系统客观存在的共同规律

“匀速论”简而言之是系统匀速进化发展论。作为一个新概念，有其内涵和相应的结论。“匀速论”的提出有其理论依据——世界及其平衡理论、现代系统论原理、优秀传统哲学思想、马克思主义哲学、社会学和物理学、数学、化学、生物学等自然科学理论；有其实践依据——半个世纪以来人类发展观大反省和对我国经验教训的反思。“匀速论”的提出有着重要的理论和实践意义，而这种意义将在实践中逐渐被人们所认识。试图以“匀速论”概括可持续发展观暨科学发展观，或以此为其基本理论依据。     

现代生态文明的特异性

本文以非线性复杂系统理论作为多维度思维方式的框架,讨论了现代生态文明的“问题语境-思维方式-核心理念-支撑机制-运行机制”,以及生态文明的“思想理念——社会实践——社会制度”等层面的特异性。     

The Oblivion of Churchman's Plea for a Systems Approach to World Problems. I. The Inseparability of Systems Thinking and World Issues in the Modern Epoch

Systemic Practice and Action Research - The presentation of a Systems Approach made by Churchman in 1968 starts from a close link between a systems approach and tackling world problems. The link is...     

从系统思想到系统实践的创新——钱学森系统研究的成就和贡献

本文介绍了钱学森从系统思想到系统实践创新过程所取得的成就和贡献,包括建立系统科学体系与系统认识论、系统综合集成方法体系与系统方法论以及系统工程与系统实践论.它们分别反映了钱学森系统科学思想、系统综合集成思想和系统实践思想也就是系统工程思想.这些成就具有重要的科学价值和实践意义以及现实意义.     

A teleonic framework for the discussion of education policy and governance

The education systems of many countries are experiencing problems of crisis proportions today. The main reasons for this state of affairs are not so much the economic difficulties, but the outdated world views and models on which the education system is based. The present paper discusses the existing education system in terms of Teleonics, which is a process-based approach derived from general systems thinking. This approach helps to place the difficulties experienced in education in context and to formulate a more suitable system for education which would contribute to the development of both the individual and the society in which the individual find him/ herself.     

Uncovering the Dynamics of the Saudi Youth Unemployment Crisis

This paper explores a systems thinking approach to the persistent and urgent issue of youth unemployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a complex problem given the unique social contract between government and citizens in the Kingdom. Generations of government-dependent Saudi nationals have come of age in recent decades, unfit for private sector needs and unprepared for its realities. Attempts to force this population into the private workforce are futile, resisted by Saudi workers and by private sector employers. The authors present a systems map inclusive of employment trends, education, and social dynamics, whose interactions undermine employment among Saudi youth. This mental model indicates that unemployment among this particular demographic is exacerbated by increased government spending on education, and by government-initiated measures aimed at protecting Saudi nationals in the private sector. Uncovering an archetypal systems thinking relationship between major stakeholders, that of accidental adversaries, the authors present the first steps towards modeling solutions.