Systems Thinking

[Harrison Owen]

Robyn Wrote:

re: < 'System' - a collection of elements connected to form a whole. >
I suggest that a system is a whole in which there are
connections/communications amongst elements in endless feedback loops.
And each element is a whole. How is that different to the definition
above? Fractals rather than Leggo?

Definitely - wholarchical fractals! Ken Wilber rides again. Robyn, I
think you have pointed out the key flaw in the vast majority of what
passes for Systems thinking. Bits and pieces linked together like Lego.
Perfect! And more than that there is a concentration (obsession?) with
externals - The hard countable things of this world. Of course they are
all important, but constitute only half of what we need to be thinking
about. Ken Wilber offers what I take to be a devastating criticism when
he states the obvious - that every outside has an inside (my free
translation). For every objective human body on earth there are also
interior feelings, hopes and dreams. And for larger entities, like
communities, companies and countries we also find such things as culture
and myth in addition to GNP.

All of this would simply be an abstract academic discussion except for
the fact that in the context of the discussion on this list, where the
focus is Open Space, and what happens therein - noticing the "interiors"
is essential. We know, of course, that very substantial things happen in
Open Space. Money gets allocated, products are designed. And ALSO minds
are changed, feelings exposed and developed, people grow internally.
None of this is news of course, but when it comes to thinking about and
describing what happens in Open Space, there is no way to proceed
without taking into account the WHOLE system, inside and out. All four
quadrants -- in the language of Ken Wilber.

When this item was originally posted requesting information about
Systems Thinking, I rather jokingly, suggested my own program, The
Practice of Peace. But as I think about it - it wasn't quite a joke. We
do deal with Systems Thinking at both the macro and micro level - How
else would you deal with the totality of the Open Space experience? Or
something.

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
<http://www.openspaceworld.com/>
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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