Courses: SYSC 521/621: Systems PhilosophyThis seminar will consider some philosophical issues central to the systems field. Fundamental to these issues is Bunge's conception of systems science as a research program aimed at the construction of ¿an exact and scientific metaphysics,¿ that is, a set of concepts, models, and theories of broad generality and philosophical import, which are applicable to the sciences, and which are cast (or capable ultimately of being cast) in the exact language of mathematics. The course will present a broad range of systems ideas (from information theory, game theory, thermodynamics, non-linear dynamics, decision theory, and many other areas) and attempt to integrate these ideas into a coherent framework. These ideas will be organized around the theme of fundamental "problems," that is, difficulties (imperfections, modes of failure) encountered by many systems of widely differing types. While most of these ideas are mathematically-based, they will be approached in this course primarily at a conceptual level (with mathematical details provided as requested). Many of these systems ideas derive from the natural sciences and engineering, but they apply as well to the social sciences and to fields of professional practice (business, the helping professions, etc.). It is primarily their relevance to the human domain--to individuals, groups, organizations, and societies ¿ and to technology which motivates this theoretical/philosophical inquiry. Certain of these ideas pertain also to the arts and humanities. This course draws from the literature of general systems theory and cybernetics, which launched the systems research program, and from the literature of chaos, complexity, and complex adaptive systems which continues this program today. While the contemporary renaissance of systems theory has brought major advances, the older "classical" tradition of GST/cybernetics articulated the systems project in a deeper way. Seminal writings of both classical and contemporary systems scientists (e.g., Boulding, Deutsch, Emery & Trist, Jantsch, Laszlo, Bateson, Wiener, Holland, Gell-Mann, Crutchfield, Arthur) will be discussed. Readings will be from (1) the manuscript of a book (working title: Elements and Relations) being written by the instructor, which attempts the integration spoken of above, (2) a collection of xeroxed articles and selections from books, and (3) a Scientific American Reader in Systems Theory & Complex Systems, all obtainable at SmartCopy, 1915 SW 6th (227-6137). Course work: term paper (25 dbl.-sp. pages [non-mathematical papers]+ bibl.); class participation; supplementary short writing assignments Prerequisites: graduate status in Systems Science or permission of instructor. This is a seminar course with limited enrollment, so SySc students have first priority. Information on Systems Philosophy research |
