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A brief history of (ancient) systems thinking

October 26, 2008 · 3 Comments

Systems thinking is not new. I have been thinking about its ancient history and so far this is what I have gathered:

600 B.C. – philosophers used systems thinking to organize their thoughts (e.g. Lao Tze)
2,700 B.C. – Egyptians, like Imhotep, showed evidence that he was using systems thinking during his roles as architect, physician and engineer in Egypt.
4,000 B.C. – Cuneiform, a system of writing appears thanks to the need to keep track of multiple economic transactions.
(date pending) – the beginnings of economic (value exchange systems). My assumption here is that value exchange systems were designed by systems thinkers.
(90,000 B.C.) – the beginnings of organized belief systems. You can find traces of these belief systems going back as far as 90,000 B.C. [1]. Rather than being “designed” the earliest belief systems may have emerged at the individual level. People may have organized, and synthesized them into coherent systems.
(date pending) – the emergence of spoken languages. We needed communication systems to organize ourselves and our societies. Spoken language is a designed system that has many semi-organized contributors. So, our spoken languages, the basic tools of all societies, may be an example of an ancient, living and breathing example of systems thinking.
(date pending) – Meaning. The emergence of symbolic meaning and symbolic communication. Meaning emerges within interactive systems of signs and symbols.[2]
(date pending) – Culture. Culture is an interactive system between people. More specifically, it is a shared system for thought and behavior. It may be an emergent system that eventually gains organization between its member/participants. It may be the fertile ground in which meaning, languages, and communication systems grow.

Did systems thinking aid the emergence of civilization?

In some aspects we may be able to chart a parallel line between the emergence of human civilization and the emergence of systems thinking.

Why is systems thinking so rare in our society?

So, now the question is…if systems thinking is such an old way of thinking, and if systems thinking has played such a key role in the development of many tools of civilization for thousands of years, then why isn’t it more popular as a thinking method in our cultures? According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers only 3% of our population are systems thinkers. (see also [2.1])

I suspect one reason for this lack of adoption has something to do with a lack of value associated with it and a lack of recognition of the role it has played within our societies.

Acknowledging its historical presence and its contribution to civilization may help us recognize its value.

Addendum: 10-31-08

Most of us are systems thinkers?

Another way to think systems thinking is to focus on how system’s thinking has permeated most aspects of our civilized life to the point that we no longer realize that we’re using systems thinking. Instead, systems thinking has become like the air that we breathe, highly important but mostly invisible and undetectable by our socialized minds. [2.2]

So, in a way, most of us are participating in systems thinking. We participate in it by living our lives within systems designed by systems thinkers.

But there is a huge difference between doing something with awareness of our acts and doing something without awareness. One may lead us to the development of skills, the other may be like going through the motions (zombie, or robot-like behavior) [3].

Why learn about systems thinking? One reason may be to gain awareness of the systems we participate in. Yet another reason may be to gain the critical skills to understand how these systems function and how they affect us and others. If we are going to change and improve these systems then we need to first understand them.

[1] Encyclopedia Britannica Online Edition

[2] Wikipedia: “Semiotics”; “Symbolism”;

[2.1] Wyospace blog “Systems Thinking“

[2.2] Wikipedia: “Socialization”. Also recommended, David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon’s commencement address, May 21,2005.

[3] Another old concept. A related concept the allegory of the cave.

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- Daniel Montano

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Categories: Cognitive Science · Critical Thinking · Social theory · Systems thinking · Thinking · Thoughts

Reading list 10-11-2007

October 12, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Oxford University Press just reprinted a book called the Oxford Guide to Philosophy, edited by Ted Honderich. This is a dictionary-like, encyclopedia-like book with 1,000 pages delving into philosophy from A-Z. This hardback is surprisingly affordable ($9.99 U.S.D. at Border’s Books and Music). If you’re a geek like me, you may find that the elaborate “maps of philosophy” (extensive tree diagrams showing the taxonomy of the large philosophical branches), are worth the $10.00 all by themselves.

The Assault On Reason by Al Gore is a must read for anyone trying to make sense of the last 8 years of political turmoil in the U.S. In this book Al Gore acknowledges either/or fallacious thinking as a problem in our time. He analyzes the tactics and blunders used by our current administration. More importantly, he acknowledges the undermining of free critical thought. This is a great book for those who may have put a foot through their TV or radio back in 2000. Or for those that four years later took a peak at the TV once again only to hear our poor misguided neighbors in the red states chanting “four more years!”

An older but goody, (also available on audio), is Daniel Goleman’s book, Social Intelligence. This book covers topics that may be of interest to those fascinated by psychology, psycho-pathology, cognitive science, neuroscience and culture in general. I was surprised to find in this book early references to those mysterious “mirror neurons” and plenty of material on empathy as a form of intelligence.

A book that should be reprinted:
There’s a book that I enjoy browsing from time to time. It’s called The Oxford Companion to The Mind, edited by Richard L. Gregory. This book, like the philosophy book above, is an encyclopedia of topics related to the philosophy and science of the mind. Today new theories in the philosophy of mind field and new discoveries in neuroscience, cognitive science etc. should provide plenty of opportunities for updates to the material in that book. Heck, even the old version (1987) is still an interesting read. It’s been 10 years. I’d say that a new version is due now.
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-Daniel Montano
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Keyword: Daniel Montano, Dan Montano, user experience design, information architect

Categories: Cognitive Psychology · Cognitive Science · Philosophy · Psychology · Social theory

Social innovation

May 29, 2007 · Leave a Comment

“Realizing that innovation driven solely by technology often failed to meet customer needs, many organizations turned to a consumer (marketing) oriented approach where consumer research and observation is handled by “experts”. Green believes that this approach is starting to reaching end of life. [Josephine Green's (of Philips Design)] main point is that we need to go beyond designing around individual consumer needs and start innovating around social needs. Her reasoning: We have reached a saturation point for technology and consumer goods. Continuing to consume the way we currently do is not healthy.”

“There is too much ‘stuff’ and a growing realization that filling the future with more and more consumer-driven technology and marketable goods does not necessarily guarantee higher growth, a better quality of life or even life itself, given the state of the planet.” (from NexUp)

Consumer research and observation are still important, the difference now is that these methods have to be integrated with a wider social purpose.

Source

NextUp: “Democratizing the Future” >>

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World Changing blog >>

Call for papers on Social Innovation >>

Customer World (blog): “Adding Social Innovation to Design” >>

Standford Center for Social Innovation >>

Categories: Collective problem-solving · Cultural anthropology · Cultural studies · Design thinking · Eco literacy · Ecosophy · Permaculture · Pollution · Social ecology · Social entrepreneurship · Social innovation · Social theory · Sociology · Sustainability · Sustainable design · Sustainable societies