BCSSS

International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

2nd Edition, as published by Charles François 2004 Presented by the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science Vienna for public access.

About

The International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics was first edited and published by the system scientist Charles François in 1997. The online version that is provided here was based on the 2nd edition in 2004. It was uploaded and gifted to the center by ASC president Michael Lissack in 2019; the BCSSS purchased the rights for the re-publication of this volume in 200?. In 2018, the original editor expressed his wish to pass on the stewardship over the maintenance and further development of the encyclopedia to the Bertalanffy Center. In the future, the BCSSS seeks to further develop the encyclopedia by open collaboration within the systems sciences. Until the center has found and been able to implement an adequate technical solution for this, the static website is made accessible for the benefit of public scholarship and education.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

FIELD THEORY (Unified) 1)3)

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K.DE GREENE has proposed the following structure for a "Unified field theory", giving for each contributing theory the main constructs.

"-Field theory in particle physics

Field

Force

Only totally meaningful

System-environment interaction

Attraction and repulsion

Inherent instability

"-Field theory of critical phenomena

Critical point

Correlation of elements

Trigger-and-ripple effect

Phase transition

Order parameter

Collective behavior

"-Chaos theory

Deterministic disorder

Inherent unpredictability

Source of new information

"-Synergetics

Micro-macro interaction

Spontaneous behavior

Order parameter (Extended)

Stochastic/deterministic behavior

Nonequilibrium phase transitions

Critical behaviors

"-Catastrophe theory

Catastrophe discontinuities

Exogenous forces (Control parameters)

Deterministic behavior

Equilibrium focus

Multistability

Hysteresis path

"-Dissipative structure theory

Thermodynamically open systems

Driving role of fluctuations

Stochastic/deterministic behavior

Nonequilibrium/far-from-equilibrium focus

Self-organization

Structural change

"-System dynamics

Informationally closed system

Feedback loop structure

Endogenous behavior generation

Deterministic behavior

Equilibrium/desequilibrium focus" (1994, p.18).

This quite complete synthesis emphasizes the convergence of a number of independently emerged theories and concepts within the general frame of reference of cybernetics and systemics and the corresponding methodologies.

Many interesting linkages propositions could be proposed and fruitfully explored

In a different spirit, the French biologist H. PRAT did propose a theory of the "Unitary field" in biology (1964).

Categories

  • 1) General information
  • 2) Methodology or model
  • 3) Epistemology, ontology and semantics
  • 4) Human sciences
  • 5) Discipline oriented

Publisher

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science(2020).

To cite this page, please use the following information:

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (2020). Title of the entry. In Charles François (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics (2). Retrieved from www.systemspedia.org/[full/url]

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