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

SOCIAL SYSTEMS PARADIGM 4)

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K.C. BAUSCH describes a social systems paradigm which, in his opinion, emerges from convergent agreement among systemic thinkers (1998, p. 11)

He writes: "This paradigm unites insights about dissipation and autopoiesis:

"1. Social realities are dissipative structures

a. they are totally temporized

b. they are ongoing patterns that are maintened by their manner of continual reproduction

c. in far-from-equilibrium conditions, these realities are open to bifurcations

d. in far-from-equilibrium conditions, small influences can generate profound evolutionary effects.

e. an optimal strategy to create profound change is to concentrate energy at likely bifurcation points

2. Social structures are autopoietic

f. as ongoing patterns of meaning that are constantly being reproduced, Social systems structure their reality on the basis of expectations in order to cope with the complexities of their existence

g. the formula for sustainable and creative existence is to multiply contradictory expectations and to hold them as alternatives for futures uncertainties"(Ibid)

As observed by Bausch, these characteristics are closely related to technology, whatever the level attained by less or more evolved social systems.

→ Autopoiesis; Emergy; Entropy (Social); Santiago theory; Systems (Co-operative)

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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