International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS)

BRINGING US TOGETHER: From General Systems Theory by Ludwig von Bertalanffy

"Compared to the analytical procedure of classical science with resolution into component elements and one-way or linear causality as basic category, the investigation of organized wholes of many variables requires new categories of interaction, transaction, organization, teleology..."

"These considerations lead to the postulate of a new scientific discipline which we call general system theory. It's subject matter is formulation of principles that are valid for 'systems' in general, whatever the nature of the component elements and the relations or 'forces' between them..."

"General system theory, therefore, is a general science of wholeness..."

The meaning of the somewhat mystical expression, "The whole is more than the sum of its parts" is simply that constitutive characteristics are not explainable from the characteristics of the isolated parts."

ISSS's purpose is to "Bring Us Together" and further this general science of wholeness, this Unity of Science.

Peter A. Corning, ISSS President
Institute for the Study of Complex Systems
119 Bryant Street, Suite 212
Palo Alto, CA 94301 USA

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Pages Updated On: 12-Oct-2008 - 14:14:34