List of types of systems theory
Encyclopedia
This list of types of systems theory gives an overview of different types of systems theory
, which are mentioned in scientific book titles or articles. The following more than 40 types of systems theory are all explicitly named systems theory and represent a unique conceptual framework
in a specific field of science
.
Systems theory
has been formalized since the 1950s, and a long set of specialized systems theories and cybernetics
exist. In the beginnings, General Systems Theory was developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy
to overcome the over-specialisation of the modern times and as a worldview using holism
. The systems theories nowadays are closer to the traditional specialisation than to holism, by interdependencies and mutual division by mutually-different specialists.
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
, which are mentioned in scientific book titles or articles. The following more than 40 types of systems theory are all explicitly named systems theory and represent a unique conceptual framework
Conceptual framework
A conceptual framework is used in research to outline possible courses of action or to present a preferred approach to an idea or thought. For example, the philosopher Isaiah Berlin used the "hedgehogs" versus "foxes" approach; a "hedgehog" might approach the world in terms of a single organizing...
in a specific field of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
Systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
has been formalized since the 1950s, and a long set of specialized systems theories and cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
exist. In the beginnings, General Systems Theory was developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy
Ludwig von Bertalanffy
Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy was an Austrian-born biologist known as one of the founders of general systems theory . GST is an interdisciplinary practice that describes systems with interacting components, applicable to biology, cybernetics, and other fields...
to overcome the over-specialisation of the modern times and as a worldview using holism
Holism
Holism is the idea that all the properties of a given system cannot be determined or explained by its component parts alone...
. The systems theories nowadays are closer to the traditional specialisation than to holism, by interdependencies and mutual division by mutually-different specialists.
A
- Abstract systems theory
- Adaptive systems theory (also see: complex adaptive systemComplex adaptive systemComplex adaptive systems are special cases of complex systems. They are complex in that they are dynamic networks of interactions and relationships not aggregations of static entities...
)
- Applied general systems theory (also see: general systems theory)
- Applied multidimensional systems theory
- Archaeological Systems Theory (also see: Systems theory in archaeologySystems theory in archaeologySystems theory in archaeology is the application of systems theory and systems thinking in archaeology. It originated with the work of Ludwig von Bertalanffy in the 1950s, and is introduced in archaeology in the 1960s with the work of Sally R. Binford & Lewis Binford's "New Perspectives in...
)
- Systems theory in anthropologySystems theory in anthropologySystems Theory in Anthropology is an interdisciplinary, non-representative, non-referential, and non-Cartesian approach that brings together natural and social sciences to understand society in its complexity. The basic idea of a system theory in social science is to solve the classical problem of...
- Associated systems theory
C
- Complex adaptive systems theory (also see: complex adaptive systemComplex adaptive systemComplex adaptive systems are special cases of complex systems. They are complex in that they are dynamic networks of interactions and relationships not aggregations of static entities...
)
- Complex systems theory (also see: complex systemsComplex systemsComplex systems present problems in mathematical modelling.The equations from which complex system models are developed generally derive from statistical physics, information theory and non-linear dynamics, and represent organized but unpredictable behaviors of systems of nature that are considered...
)
- Computer-aided systems theory
- Conceptual Systems Theory (also see: conceptual systemConceptual systemA conceptual system is a system that is composed of non-physical objects, i.e. ideas or concepts. In this context a system is taken to mean "an interrelated, interworking set of objects".- Overview :...
)
- Control systems theory (also see: control systemControl systemA control system is a device, or set of devices to manage, command, direct or regulate the behavior of other devices or system.There are two common classes of control systems, with many variations and combinations: logic or sequential controls, and feedback or linear controls...
)
- Critical systems theory (also see: critical systems thinkingCritical systems thinkingCritical systems thinking is a recent systems thinking framework, that wants to bring unity to the diversity of different systems approaches and advises managers how best to use them....
, and critical theoryCritical theoryCritical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
)
D
- Developmental systems theoryDevelopmental systems theoryIn developmental psychology, developmental systems theory is an overarching theoretical perspective on biological development, heredity, and evolution . It emphasizes the equal contributions of genes, environment, and epigenetic factors on developmental processes...
- Distributed parameter systems theory
- Dynamical systems theoryDynamical systems theoryDynamical systems theory is an area of applied mathematics used to describe the behavior of complex dynamical systems, usually by employing differential equations or difference equations. When differential equations are employed, the theory is called continuous dynamical systems. When difference...
E
- Ecological systems theoryEcological Systems TheoryEcological systems theory, also called development in context or human ecology theory, specifies four types of nested environmental systems, with bi-directional influences within and between the systems.- Overview :...
(also see: ecosystemEcosystemAn ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
, ecosystem ecologyEcosystem ecologyEcosystem ecology is the integrated study of biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems and their interactions within an ecosystem framework. This science examines how ecosystems work and relates this to their components such as chemicals, bedrock, soil, plants, and animals.Ecosystem ecology...
)
- Economic systems theory (also see: economic systemEconomic systemAn economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
)
- Electric energy systems theory
F
- Family systems theory (also see: systemic therapySystemic TherapySystemic therapy is a form of psychotherapy which seeks to address people not on individual level, as had been the focus of earlier forms of therapy, but as people in relationship, dealing with the interactions of groups and their interactional patterns and dynamics.- History :Systemic therapy has...
)
- Fuzzy systems theory (also see: fuzzy logicFuzzy logicFuzzy logic is a form of many-valued logic; it deals with reasoning that is approximate rather than fixed and exact. In contrast with traditional logic theory, where binary sets have two-valued logic: true or false, fuzzy logic variables may have a truth value that ranges in degree between 0 and 1...
)
L
- Large scale systems theory
- Liberating systems theory
- Linear systems theory (also see: linear systemLinear systemA linear system is a mathematical model of a system based on the use of a linear operator.Linear systems typically exhibit features and properties that are much simpler than the general, nonlinear case....
)
- Living systems theory
- LTI system theoryLTI system theoryLinear time-invariant system theory, commonly known as LTI system theory, comes from applied mathematics and has direct applications in NMR spectroscopy, seismology, circuits, signal processing, control theory, and other technical areas. It investigates the response of a linear and time-invariant...
M
- Macrosystems theory
- Mathematical systems theory
- Medical ethics systems theory
- Modeling systems theory
- Modern control systems theory
- Modern systems theory
- Multidimensional systems theory
O
- Operating systems theory (also see: operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
)
- Open systems theory (also see: open systemOpen systemOpen system may refer to:*Open system , one of a class of computers and associated software that provides some combination of interoperability, portability and open software standards, particularly Unix and Unix-like systems...
)
S
- Social systems theory (also see: social system)
- Sociotechnical systems theory
- Social rule system theorySocial rule system theorySocial rule system theory is an attempt to formally approach different kinds of social rule systems in a unified manner. Social rules systems include institutions such as norms, laws, regulations, taboos, customs, and a variety of related concepts and are important in the social sciences and...
See also
Closely related subjects
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Systems related topics
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Other systems listings
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External links
- NKS and a typology of systems theory distinctions, Jason Cawley, at Forum Wolframscience.com, August 2003.
- Cawley states, that the student E. Dent studied forms of systems theory and came up with a set of concepts that he thought marked off systems theory approaches from earlier science. Dent identified eight concepts:
- holism rather than analysis or reductionism,
- relationships rather than entities,
- interaction with environment as opposed to closed or isolated systems,
- indeterminism as opposed to predictability,
- circular causal loops rather than linear causality,
- self-organization, observation as part of or directly related to systems, and
- reflexivity or interaction between a system and what is known about it.
- Holistic Symmetry in Modern Science, webtext by Gary Witherspoon, 03 April 2007.
- Witherspoon states, that "the rise of abstract art and the development of various systems theories have an important parallel. Abstract art goes beyond the recognition of entity or image and focuses attention on interaction and interrelatedness, striving to uncover and reveal holistic essences. Systems theories have tried to get us beyond linear cause and effect notions and tried to get us to think of phenomena in terms of interaction and interrelationship. It is interesting and significant that abstract art and quantum theory arose at about the same time. Both of these developments preceded the application of various forms of systems theory to the social and biological sciences. Scientific insight and conceptualization have paralleled artistic imagination and aesthetic formulation."
- The relevance of "Western" studies of cyberspace, paper by David Hakken, State University of New York Institute of technology, 2002.
- Hakken speaks about various additive forms of systems theory in Western anthropology in the 1980s and 1990s: "dual", "tri", "quadra", etc. (e.g., "race and class" or "gender, race, and class" or "sexual orientation, gender, race, and class").
- Behaviorism: Origins of the Concept paper by Erkki Berndtson, University of Helsinki Finland:
- As forms of systems theory, Berndtson mentions: general systems theory, cybernetics, systems analysis and functionalism.
- "Basic Papers on Cybernetics and Systems Science", Francis Heylighten, Pricipia Cybernetica Net, 1992.