[OSList] open systems in the 'naural world"

Charles Fuller chrlsful at aol.com
Wed Feb 20 18:39:54 PST 2013


Chris Weaver and others may wish to look to Bertalanfy, an individual 
often cited in General Systems theory, organization development and 
other human systems studies, as someone who helped form the ideas 
behind these concepts by study of biology...
I don't believe he ever used the term 'self organizing' but wrote all 
around the idea.  I will attempt a quote which will be way off (it's 
been 15 yrs. since reading him):

many organizations can be viewed like a plant - a closed system having 
a semi-permeable boundary (to me that's not really closed then) where 
they allow nutrients to flow in and substances to flow out.  Healthy 
systems have information which is similar - crossing that boundary.  
The plant can not live w/o that flow, neither can the human 
organization be healthy if closed.  (systems theory) Take one part away 
 from the plant and it fails just as each individual has a function with 
in the family or organization.

Some one with more elegant writing/expression skills can accomplish 
what I've attempted with more skill I'm certain.  Possibly supply a 
reading cite that goes directly to this...

Happy hunting!

- -Chad- -






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