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

UNCERTAINTY 1)3)

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The impossibility to reach a perfect knowledge of any complex system or situation.

The uncertainty problem came slowly to pervade the whole field of complexity. This is normal, considering that the multiplicity of initial conditions in complex systems leads to chaos and a high degree of unpredictability.

It offers different facets, related for ex. to the interrelations between levels of complexity and the various limitations to perception and construction of mental frames of references.

The problem is also associated with the general conditions of modeling, as shown by G. KLIR, within the frame of his reconstructibility analysis. (1991, p.350; 399-401)

E. MORIN distinguishes four different shades of uncertainty

1. Brain-mental uncertainty, which results of the process of perception, and modelization of "reality" by the brain

2. Logical uncertainty according to which some ambiguity, complementarity or even contradiction seems to be inherent to our reconstruction of reality. BOHR's and the Copenhague interpretation in micro-physics is an example

3. Rational uncertainty due to the fuzzy border between rational explanation and fake or uncritical rationalizations

4. Psychological uncertainty due to our necessarily limited awareness of the soundness of our own mental processes (E. MORIN, 1999b, p. 82-84)

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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