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.

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SYSTEM (Hierarchic) 1)2)

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"A system that is composed of interrelated subsystems, each of the latter being, in turn, hierarchic in structure until we reach some lowest level of elementary subsystem" (H. SIMON, 1965, p.64).

The concept has been put to good use by SIMON in his parable about the two rival watchmakers "Hora and Tempus", which shows how to use the recursive character of hierarchy for the practical study (and guidance!) of hierarchic systems.

The definition of the "lowest elementary subsystem" (or module) is however a modeling decision to be taken.

Altogether, not all systems are hierarchic, at least in their formation period. Networks seem to be self-constructing their organization, which does not seem to be necessarily hierarchic.

In any case, SIMON's concept and model are very useful to clear the hierarchy concept of its authoritarian overtones, giving it a purely organizational meaning.

Transversal and bi- or multi-lateral interrelations among and between subsystems are not, and should not be, excluded under the hierarchical order concept. (See "Heterarchy")

→ "System (nearly decomposable)"

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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