Systems Theory-Chronological Bibliography
Scaffolding for the Cathedral of Knowledge ...
Systems theory
Systems theory or systemics is an interdisciplinary field which studies relationships of systems as a whole.
Modern systems theory was founded by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, William Ross Ashby and others between the
1940s and the 1970s on principles from philosophy, physics, biology and engineering and later grew into
numerous fields including philosophy, sociology, organizational theory, management, psychotherapy (within
family systems therapy) and economics among others. Cybernetics is a closely related field. In recent times
complex systems has increasingly been used as a synonym.
Overview
Systems theory focuses on complexity and interdependence of relationships. A system is composed of regularly
interacting or interdependent groups of activities/parts that form the emergent whole.
Part of systems theory, system dynamics is a method for understanding the dynamic behavior of complex
systems. The basis of the method is the recognition that the structure of any system � the many circular,
interlocking, sometimes time-delayed relationships among its components � is often just as important in
determining its behavior as the individual components themselves. Examples are chaos theory and social
dynamics.
Systems theory has also been developed within sociology. The most notable scientist in this area is Niklas
Luhmann (see Luhmann 1994). The systems framework is also fundamental to organizational theory as
organizations are dynamic living entities that are goal-oriented. The systems approach to organizations relies
heavily upon achieving negative entropy through openness and feedback.
In recent years, the field of systems thinking has been developed to provide techniques for studying systems in
holistic ways to supplement more traditional reductionistic methods. In this more recent tradition, systems
theory is considered by some as a humanistic extension of the natural sciences.
General systems theory as an objective of Systemics
Early systems theorists aimed at finding a General systems theory that could explain all systems in all fields of
science. The term goes back to Bertalanffys basic work 'General Systems Theory'. Sociologists like Niklas
Luhmann also worked towards a general systems theory, but as of today no systems theory can live up to this
claim. However, there are general system principles which are found in all systems. For example, every system
is an interaction of elements manifesting as a whole.
History
Subjects like complexity, self-organization, connectionism and adaptive systems had already been studied in
the 1940s and 1950s, in fields like cybernetics through researchers like Norbert Wiener, William Ross Ashby,
John von Neumann and Heinz Von Foerster. They only lacked the right tools, and tackled complex systems
with mathematics, pencil and paper. John von Neumann discovered cellular automata and self-reproducing
systems without computers, with only pencil and paper. Aleksandr Lyapunov and Jules Henri Poincar�
worked on the foundations of chaos theory without any computer at all.
All of the "C"-Theories below � cybernetics, catastrophe theory, chaos theory,... � have the common goal to
explain complex systems which consist of a large number of mutually interacting and interwoven parts.
Cellular automata (CA), neural networks (NN), artificial intelligence (AI), and artificial life (ALife) are related
fields, but they do not try to describe general complex systems. The best context to compare the different "C"Theories about complex systems is historical, which emphasizes different tools and methodologies, from pure
mathematics in the beginning to pure computer science now. Since the beginning of chaos theory when Edward
Lorenz accidentally discovered a strange attractor with his computer, computers have become an
indispensable source of information. One could not imagine the study of complex systems without computers
today.
SYSTEMS THEORY BIBLIOGRAPHY - Chronological
Worth a careful scan: Conceptual Spaces: The Geometry of Thought by Peter G�rdenfors
1. Gray, W., F.J. Duhl, and N.D. Rizzo, General systems theory and psychiatry. [1st ed. 1969, Boston,: Little.
xxii, 481 p.
2. Hammer, P.C., Advances in mathematical systems theory. 1969, University Park,: Pennsylvania State
University Press. 174 p.
3. Martens, H.R. and D.R. Allen, Introduction to systems theory. 1969, Columbus, Ohio,: C. E. Merrill Pub.
Co. xi, 611 p.
4. Director, S.W. and R.A. Rohrer, Introduction to systems theory. 1971, New York,: McGraw-Hill. xii, 441 p.
5. Strean, H.S., Social casework: theories in action. 1971, Metuchen, N.J.,: Scarecrow Press. 344 p.
6. Bertalanffy, L.v. and E. Laszlo, The Relevance of general systems theory; papers presented to Ludwig von
Bertalanffy on his seventieth birthday. The International library of systems theory and philosophy. 1972, New
York,: G. Braziller. viii, 213 p.
7. Davies, W.K.D., The conceptual revolution in geography. 1972, London,: University of London Press. 416 p.
.
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88. Andrei, N., Sparse systems : digraph approach of large-scale linear systems theory. 1985, K�oln: Verlag
T�UV Rheinland. 254 p.
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195. Filip, F.G., I. Dumitrache, and S.S. Iliescu, Large scale systems, theory and applications 2001 (LSS'01) : a
proceedings volume from the 9th IFAC/IFORS/IMACS/IFIP Symposium, Bucharest, Romania, 18-20 July
2001. IFAC proceedings series. 2002, New York: Published for the International Federation of Autpomatic
Control by Elsevier Science.