Reframing Systems Thinking for Systems Changes: Sciencing and Philosophizing from Pragmatism towards Processes as Rhythms | JISSS

David Ing and Gary S. Metcalf, “Reframing Systems Thinking for Systems Changes: Sciencing and Philosophizing from Pragmatism towards Processes as Rhythms.” Journal of the International Society for the Systems Sciences 67: 4154. https://journals.isss.org/index.php/jisss/article/view/4154.

Abstract

Systems thinking rose in 20th century industrial society largely from post-WWII research. Psychologists Eric L. Trist and Fred E. Emery were early in human relations, later turning towards sociology. Philosophers C. West Churchman and Russell L. Ackoff were cofounders of Operations Research, applying pragmatism to problem-solving of complex issues. The texture of Socio-Technical Systems (STS) and Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) perspectives interweaves with management science and inquiring systems.

In the 21st century, the Service Economy and Ecological Anthropocene followed advancement of the Internet and globalization through the 1990s. Resurfacing Trist-Emery and Churchman-Ackoff for a new generation not only revisits their sciencing, but also philosophizing.

Trist-Emery Socio-Psychological Systems (SPS) and STS perspectives extended the structuralist psychology of Gestalt, through Andras Angyal and Kurt Lewin. The SES perspective built on the pragmatist metaphilosophy of Stephen C. Pepper. Sciencing by Churchman-Ackoff encouraged Operations Research beyond mathematics towards collaborative decision-making. Postwar applied philosophizing built on the experimentalism of Edgar A. Singer Jr. This lineage traces from the Metaphysical Club circa 1890, through the 1980s.

Philosophizing in the 21st century provides new lenses for the systems sciences. Through ecological anthropology, Tim Ingold depicts the lives of lines, and texture in weaving. Through Classical Chinese Medicine, Keekok Lee distinguishes yin qi and yang qi. In post-colonial constructionist program of Rethinking Systems Thinking, principal concepts of (i) rhythm, (ii) texture, and (ii) propensity have become the core of Systems Changes Learning practices, theory, and methods. A new world hypothesis of (con)textural-dyadicism is proposed, combining STS and SES features. The associated systems theory foregrounds time-space changes over the defining of space-time systems and boundaries. Philosophizing across Western and Classical Chinese traditions requires deeper inquiry and education.

Keywords: Systems change, philosophy of science, pragmatism, Chinese philosophy, socio-technical, socio-ecological

More about this publication below

Symposium 2023 –The Impacts of Digital Industrial transformations

We are happy to present the Call and Agenda of our 3nd Symposium! This year, the modality is a open discussion about the topic. We will be connecting from Kaunas, KTU, Lithuania, on the 9th and 10th October 2023!


The call is open to all! You are welcome to join and contribute to the discussion process.

Contact us to receive the access link for the discussion

The theme of the 2023 Symposium Discussions – The impacts of Digital industrial transformations

This year we have a particular approach and task. We have many members involved with the development of a book, which is part of the EU horizon funding. So it seemed logical to invite authors along to discuss their chapters, including concurrent areas of interest, such as the collaboration process and the like.

The Book Proposal Summary:

The digital industrial transformation was successful in delivering technical product delivery-based objectives. Industry 5.0 was intended to address the socio-environmental imbalances, but has not been able to stem the increasingly rapid pace of technological advancement. In the current state, Industry 5.0 policy is not providing the necessary guidance, leaving an unintended misalignment between technology and society. This book foreshadows the needed changes in order to fulfill Industry 5.0 promises. This book is the outcome of four years of exploratory research by an EU Horizon 2020 funded team, and other industry experts, on the impact of digitalization on management and economics. It provides a systemic perspective of Industry 5.0, giving insights into the anticipated changes in industrial dynamics and relevant policies.

Symposium Agenda (EEST Time)

October 9th

10.00   Coffee&Chat moment in presence and online (catch up moment)

10.30   Welcome and Introduction

10.45   Theme kick off discussion

Lead speakers:

Rohan Fernando (Australia online)

Manuel Morales (local)

Morteza Ghobakhloo (local)

13.30   Lunch break

15.00   afternoon theme discussion

Lead speakers:

Jim Spohrer (US online)

Thomas Marlowe (NY online)

Gary Metcalf (US online)

18.00   End discussion session

19.00   Dinner

October 10th

11.00   Extension Discussion Time

Summary and closing comments for CSRP Institute Symposium

13.30   Lunch

15.00   AGM meeting

16.30   Closing of the AGM for 2023.

Time zone table – OCT 9 2023

After Symposium straight to Classroom

David Ing lecturing on “Knowing Better Via Systems Thinking” for Ryan Armstrong, Ph.D. third year class on International Operations Management at Universitat de Barcelona Business School.

Access to the lectures:

2022/10/10 Knowing Better via Systems Thinking: Traditions and Contemporary Approaches

2022/10/10 Reifying Systems Thinking towards Changes: Rhythmic Shifts, (Con)Texture, and Propensity amongst Living Systems

Symposium 2022 – Thought Pieces Schedule

CSRP Institute Symposium 2022 call collected nine Thought Pieces! The discussion schedule of the thoughts follows below:

Thu, Oct 6 (Spanish time currently CEST)

10.00 – 10:10 am: Welcome & Introduction

Slot 1: Susu Nousala, Creative Systemic Research and future developmental directions, Publication and Communication thought piece

Slot 2:  Marie Davidova, The Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance (SAAP)

12:30 – 14.00 pm: Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:05 pm: Brief Summary of the morning thoughts

Slot 3: Thomas Marlowe, Integration & Dis-Integration

Slot 4: Petra Johnson, the matter ecologic

Slot 5: Dan Zhu, Patterns methods: design future hybrid spaces for creative learning and working

17:00 pm: End Thursday session

Fri, Oct 7 (Spanish time currently CEST)

10:00 – 10:10 am: Brief Summary of yesterday thoughts

Slot 6: Yi-Heng Cheng: Prosperity in Resilience

Slot 7: Marco Cataffo: articulating design decisions post-consumerism

12:30 – 14.00 pm: Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:05 pm: Brief Summary of the morning thoughts

Slot 8: David Ing, Systems changes as when+where: Crossing thresholds or animating propensity?

Slot 9: Jelena Sucic, What/How/Why makes us move forward? The Nature of Behaviour

16:00 – 17:00 pm: Summary discussion per each speaker and end Friday session

Learn more about the call

To partecipate in the discussion contact us via email and we will share the zoom link with you

Symposium 2022 – New approaches for 21st living: New ways of engaging, learning and understanding intangible systemic approaches

We are happy to present the Call and Agenda of our 2nd Symposium! This year, the modality changes with a format that favours discussion. We will be connecting from Mòra d’Ebre, Spain, on the 6th,7th, and 8th of October 2022!


The call is open to all! You are welcome to submit a thought piece and/or simply join the discussion process. The intended theme has an intentional broad area of interest, to reduce limitations for participants and potential project development. Topics could for example include technical/engineering, cultural heritage, any type of social adaptive structures and related topics

Creative Systemic Research Platform, the Concept
What do we mean by creative systemic? This area of research has been on-going, developing (through various stages) over the past 15+ years, specifically targeting the concept of tacit knowledge network dynamics as related to systemic structures. The structural dynamics exposed a very creative aspect of this research approach. The creative could be found embedded in the creation and engagement of the multitude of relationship dynamics and interaction between all (including elements, actors, levels, layers and the like).
So what are examples of the all important emergence of these structural dynamics and their rhythms, patterns and behaviours? The terms multi, trans, inter, intra, poli – disciplinary approaches have been in discussion for many years, but the way in which identification, discussion, engagement and conceptual development have evolved highlights the continuation of vigorous debate within these various contexts. The development of a “platform” is not a new concept but it remains an important one, and has proven to be a critical methodological approach to support any nexus of various contexts at play, typical for creative systemic research. Now more than ever, the capability of developing and delivering a wide range of learning systems has become a necessary skill set. The successful engagement with any learning system has become critical, for in depth understanding of the way we are, and how we are living and existing within our immediate environments. This also extends to include the relationships that link us between the urban, peri-urban and rural environments.


The Symposium Format and Submissions
This discussion invites thought pieces or extended abstracts or academic posters (aim for half to one page) that expand on the bottom up, the nexus of disciplinary approaches, including cases that discuss thinking and practice, from any type of interactive project/performances or processes, case studies through to field
experiences.
We will ask you to send in your submissions and your preferred working titles so that we can schedule your presentations to our colleagues for digestion before the symposium begins. These thought pieces will create a type of table of contents for open discussion, with a view to exploring the relationships with the concept of creative systemic research and practice. The presented concepts/thought pieces have the possibility to go through the multimedia publication process, with a publication date planned for October/November 2023.
The publication process will be presented at the symposium as a thought piece and part of the introduction for the Symposium.

Send submission pieces to csrp.institute@gmail.com
Subscribe for attendance and participation in the discussion at csrp.institute@gmail.com
The zoom link will be sent before the start for the online attendance.

Agenda Symposium 2022 (CEST, UTC +1)

October 6th:
10 am – Welcome and introduction
10.15 am – Presenting the thought pieces (approx. 10 mins each, including any current Australasian colleagues)
12.30 pm – Lunch
14.00 pm – Open discussion and formulation of tacit table of contents for topic relationships (also any
presentations from our current our Canadian and U.S. colleagues).
17.00 pm – End of formal discussions.
19.00 pm – Dinner


October 7th:
10 am – Summary of previous discussions (including any current Australasian colleagues)
12.30 pm – Lunch
14.00 pm – Open discussion and formulation of processes for topic continuation into next year 2023. (also
summary discussion with current our Canadian and U.S. colleagues).
17.00pm – End of formal discussions.
19.00pm – Dinner


October 8th:
11.00 am – Summary and closing comments for CSRP Institute Symposium
12.30 pm – Lunch
14.00 pm – AGM meeting
15.30 pm– Closing of the AGM for 2022.

Creative Systemic Research, Susu Nousala + Jelena Sucic (ST-ON 2021-02-08)

Rather than a top-down abstract approach to #SystemicDesign#CreativeSystemic Research builds bottom-up with communities in a longitudinal appreciation of learning. Susu Nousala and Jelena Sucic session with #SystemsThinking Ontario now released at

Creative Systemic Research at Systems Thinking Ontario 2021-02-08