Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Bertalanffy called “to expand our theoretical schemata in order to attain an exact set
of laws in those fields where applying physical laws is not adequate or not even pos-
sible.” [9, p. 8f] In order to identify “structural similarities”, “isomorphies”, “prin-
ciples” that are true “absolutely” or “in general”, in other words, to derive properties
of “the systems of the most disparate kinds, be they mechanical, caloric, chemical
or whatever,” he required a “General Systems Theory”.[9, p. 9] i.e. a “generalized
science” as the cooperation of sciences where the different disciplines should be
facilitated and fostered and multidisciplinary sets of laws should be sought, found
and examined.
Bertalanffy's search for a more general theory could be seen in his 1928 opus
Modern Theory of Development
(
Kritische Theorie der Formbildung
)[8]: “Since
the fundamental character of a life form lies in its organization, the usual examina-
tion of individual components and individual processes cannot provide a complete
explanation of life phenomena. Instead, the laws of living systems must be exam-
ined at all levels of organization. We call this interpretation, when considered as
research maxims, organismic biology and, as an attempt at explaining it, the sys-
tems theory of the organism [11, p. 20].
Also his concepts of “open systems”, “dynamic equilibrium” and “feedback” can
be found here. He employed these three interrelated fundamental concepts again
in the 1950s to argue for
General Systems Theory
: First he separated the “open”
from the “closed” systems and introduced his concept of “dynamic equilibrium”:
“Conventional physics is concerned with closed systems, that is, those that do not
exchange any material with their environment. ... However, we find systems in
nature that, by their essence and their definition, are not closed systems. Every
living organism is an open system, for it maintains itself in a constant inflow and
outflow, constant building up and breaking down of its components. As long as
the organism lives, it is never in a state of rest, of chemical and thermodynamic
equilibrium. Rather, it supports itself in a so-called dynamic equilibrium, i.e. a
balance of import and export that is far removed from actual equilibrium. This is
the essence of that basic phenomenon of life which we call metabolism.”
(a)
(b)
Fig. 3.2
(a): Ludwig von Bertalanffy in the 1970s.; (b) his illustration to the
General Systems
Theory
,[10,p.8].
