I was thinking about the problem of psychology and realised that we also
have a problem with Systems Theory. As a science even newer than
psychology, the systems sciences have exactly the same problem. There is
no agreement at all about what a system is. Many definitions are about
parts and wholes, but there is no such thing as a part and a whole, they
are so entangled and unentanglable to make such definitions unworkable
as sson as we take it out of the folk systems world. There is a paper
written about the problem that lists around 200 definitions. There is
also the exact same problem with sub disciplines thinking they are the
whole discipline. Eventhough we all come together at conferences and
generally get on pretty well, there is no uniting concept. The systems
dynamics people and the critical systems don't really sit next to each
other. Even just the basic systems, cybernetics and complexity
distinctions are problematic.
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