Systemic Worldview

Erkki Laitila PhD/software eng

Good Reason Tmi

erkki.laitila@goodreason.fi

Post grad seminar: Åbo Akademi 15.11.2012

Motivation from the blog: Worlds of Systems: Einstein knew the value of ‘system’ as a notion to stimulate thinking. He, a physicist, was a ‘systems person’. So too was von Bertalanffy, who was a biologist.

Abstract

• The world is getting more complex – in spite of our continuous efforts to make it easier. Systems thinkingis a generic approach for studying practical life.

• Systemic worldview is a generic perspective updated by the observer - above the “mechanistic worldview” -for understanding systems, which model the world.

• GoodReason is a technique for explaining system based phenomena using certain visual metaphors in order to tackle a writing challenge in a high level – being a tool for approaching the systemic worldview.

Background

Background: Short Step from Symbols to Systems

2008 – 2009 Thesis:

Program Comprehension

2010 How to find bugs

in source code

2012 Introduction to

Systems thinking

Reduc-tionist

Reduc-tionist

Agenda

Agenda as well as Logic for GoodReason

Nr and name of the phase Definition and parts of this file

1 Abstract & intro A Why this topic is important? Relevance and rigor

2 Background B ”Related work”, literature review, google study

3 Context C Hermeneutic circle, learning cycles

4 Systems S Conceptualisation: semantics of systems and sub-systems?

5 Functionality F Working: services in general?

6 Intentionality I Purposes and special features: what does the system want?

7 Reactivity R Reality: how to understand reaction in real life situations?

8 Decision phase D Enlightening and synthesis: what scenarios can be seen?

9 Goals, setting final thesis G Making a plan: how to select best scenarios for future

10 Thesis for listeners T Conviction: presenting a plausible proposal to stakeholders

To Summary

Idea for ”Exp

Dataflow for GoodReason: Many Purposes

Idea

A

B

S

C

F R I

G

T

D

Proposal

Mnemos

Abstract

Background

System(s)

Configuration

Function.

Intention

Reaction

Decision

Goal

Thesis

To Summary

1. Introduction for This WorkHistory and Motivation for GoodReason

Surprise:• What?• Why?• How?• So what?

Relevant and rigorous questions typical for systems thinking

A system collapseThere is a need for better reasoning technologies

Related work

Quantitative Qualitative Systemic Holistic

Economy aspects: micro & macro

Financing policies Investment infra-structure: model

Philosophy for a steady-state infra

What Why Which context?Complexity?

Which spaceRelevancy?

To calculate To categorize To describerelations

To describe generic problems, solutions

Solve hypotheses Find answers Understand connections

Understand and avoid problems

Ontology, mapping, semantic net … systemic model

Metaphysicsphilosophy,

1.1 Research Methodologies: An Example: Financing infrastructure

R.L. Ackoff (1968) has outlined the system as a problem-solving methodology that handles research problems (IAMSR Annual Report 2011).

Systemic ”WorldView” is relevant over the mechanistic approach.

Our research problem

1.2 1st Google Hit for Systemic WorldView

Jack M. Lethin is one of numerous authors promoting spiral diagrams.

”An obedient machine” has no reasoning abilities outside its scope local optimization.The systemic approach is needed for mapping them to an infrastructure. Energy (values) is needed to optimize and control the infra-structure.

1.3 2nd Google Hit: Spiral Diagrams

Human consciousness has developed through: I, it, we and its to form personality

for human being a spiral based learning curve. A really multidisciplinary proposal.http://wakingdownintegral.com/category/spiral-dynamics/

1.4 3rd Hit: Explaining Human Evoloution Metaphysical Assumptions about Being

www.vitis-tct.be/SpiralDynamics

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world by asking: What is there? What is it like?

Is it reliable science or not?It depends on the topic.

Dev

elo

pm

ent

Where are we now?

2.1. Research on Symbols, on SystemsUnderstanding Java by Symbols Understanding World by Systems

• World is a collection of systems hierarchies

• Each system has semantics

• Semantics drawn as a table• The system at focus

• Semantics of semantics, 2nd and higher order semantics

Systematic worldview

• Java has a grammar with its symbols

• A program is a set of symbols:

• static & dynamic & side effects

Semantics

main()

Context

2.2. Meta Something and Inter Somethingdescribe the Systemic Worldview

• Metaphysics

• Meta science : meta problem + meta solution

• Interdisciplinary topic intersystemic work when a discipline is a system

• Utm-theorem:– Output = Space::System:transform(Input, Args, SideEffects)

Technology spaces in IR*: software, hardware, grammarware, modelware, knowledgeware, maintenanceware…*) Laitila (2009) Symbolic Analysis as a Methodology for Program Comprehension

2 Expla-nation

3 Insight

4 Proposal

5 Impro-vement

1 Current state

3. Context for Systemic WorldView: Understanding Emergent Systems

Traditional learning cycle Understanding problems

Understanding emergence is important to eliminate problems, to win the game, to show completion, to maximize quality etc.

Most problems cannot be solvedusing quantitive or qualitative research.

Solutionprocedure

Metaphor for learning

System for a service

Norms

Business

Profit

Techno-logy

Pragma-tics

Giving

Service

Seman-tics

3.1. Limited ”Worldview” Top Down Approach for Financing

• Small and big picture

• System is a artifact

Systems thinking means how to use ”system” for explaining the limited world?

Client satisfactionStabile money

PoliticsFinancing norms

The following step is articulating systems.

4.1. Articulating Systems from Concepts

Concept S

Circle IIICircle

II

Kernel

Theory Prac-tice

State 1 State N

2. Functionality

1. System articulationEach cell has aspecific semanticsas well as eachcolumn and row

Nk1

Function F

Actor AS

1

4

5

6

3

2

Project plan using visualized items

3. Intentionality and speacialization

Turingmachine

Phases 1, 2 and 3 enable specifying a more accurate logic to describe reactivity (phase 4).

4.2. Building Systems using Visual Prolog

Ontology for the systemic worldviewinterface system

def = cell(property); vector(property*) ; row(property*); matrix(def*).

interface functionalitydef = flow(property::def).

interface propertydef = link(system*); flow(functionality*) ; int(intention*); react(reaction*) ; form(formula).

interface intentiondef = int(system, def*).

interface reactiondef = react(property, context, functionality).

interface statedef = state(nr, property); space(nr, model) ; era(nr, def).

interface worldviewdef = db(id, space, system*).

www.visual-prolog.com

This computer semantics allows prototyping system based models: relations & functionality.

Modeling ontology by Visual Prolog makes it possible to categorize all possible relation types rigorously in order to create a visualization implemantation or a deeper tool (xml etc).

5. Understanding Norms for Financing Combining Many Visualization Principles

Functionality of a service is defined as a path between cells and (sub)systems. If the (sub)system is ”reliable”, the only thing when specifying to ”match”.

eFinancing as a service

Deriva-tives

MicroCredit..

MatchingAgent

MacroDebit..

Conrolling& rules

Needs: profit

Values,ethics

Dealer 1 Dealer N

Motivation

Historic burdenof organizations

5. Challenges in Understanding Money Transfers

• Is it difficult to understand results of international money transfers?– Finland quarrantees

– Creece loans

– Market reactions

– EU, IMF contributions

Exceptional conditions because of the crisis!It is argued that Finland’s quarrantee for Greece is worth nothing.

This picture has a systemic approach and a nice visualization.

Our society has no organization for thinking of this kind of serious, expensive cases.

Essential conceptual principles: 1) Modeling sentences as graphs 2) Undestanding semantics 3) Formulating categories 4) Understanding subconceptual features

5.1 Understanding Systemic Relations Deeply: Many Principles for Conceptualization

1. J. Sowa: http://www.jfsowa.com/2. Conceptual Modeling. Boman & al.3. Conceptual Mathematics: Lawvere & al.4. Conceptual Spaces: Gärdenfors & al.

Tom believes that Mary wants to marry a sailor.

Person: Erkki Believe

ThmeYou

Expr

Expr Understand

Thme

Systems WorldDescribeT

Erkki believes that you understand that systems describe the world.

6. Modeling Intentionality as Matrix

A management concept, see: http://www.integralleadership.com/the-graves-quadrants.php

• Modeling personality and behaviour of an organization or a person (company, state etc): objective and subjective attitude as well as interobjective and intersubjective nature.

• Left side Graves Value System. Right side GoodReason’s system matrix.

Beliefs Intentions Goals Expectations Conditions

Imago Strategy Tactics Management Motivation

Idea Processes Resources Production Needs

Input Adaptation Refining Output Ad. value

ValuationDynamic

behaviourSuccess Measures Critique

A succeeding system works as a coherent and consistent flow using mental properties of Table X for all assumed services and prospects. All problems are mapped as path traversal problems

7. Some Notations to Describing Reactivity

• Reaction is a functionality for an action with a context (many other formalisms occur).

• GoodReason proposes some ways to describe reactivity visually for analysis, synthesis or other modeling. Each identified reaction is a function

• There are many formalisms for reactions (situation logic, chemistry etc)

Reaction R X YXS

N1

N2

N3

N4

N5

N6

8. Inspection Phase: Debt Crisis

Meta problem:

• The bubble

• System collapse

• Infrastructure is instabile: chaos, crisis

Meta solution(s):

1. Removing problem items

2. Correcting the whole

3. Scaling the harms

4. Splitting, divide & impera

5. Reconfiguring systems

6. Accord, forget it

7. New reserch, control

The only sustainable solution is harmony, solved by values.

Holistic worldview: to eliminate the bottleneck.

9. Realistic and Idealist OrganizationSystem Matrix Easily Defines Scenarios

”Modern” organization is an obedient Turing machine

Mission is to multiply

Goal ”Copy machine”

Imago Management for copying

Idea Book keeping

Input Accept Process Output Pack

Holistic organization with virtues is a new paradigm

Learn to be ”better”

Goal Insights, wisdom

Imago Co-operation, leadership

Idea Integrating to the environment

1 2 3 4 5

Turing machine upside down Higher level, meta functionality: 1. Listening customers2. Configuring user needs3. Solving user problems4. Providing knowhow 5. User satisfaction as a motivator

To get more money To promote better life

Pre-selected menu for 10 types and 3..5 subtypes each (total 40)

9. Applying Visual Thinking in Commercial ToolsThe GoodReason Principle

Some ideas come from metaphysics:

1. Internal, external (hierarchy)

2. Causality, successive parts

3. Time, cycles, hermeneutics, repetition

4. Systems (nature, nets, hierarchies)

5. Functionality (services, protocols)

6. Intentionality (subjectiveness)

7. Reactivity (monisuuntaisuus)

8. Perspectice made by the observer (SWOT)

9. Future scenario(s): Improvements

10. Confidence for presentations

Collected output:Paper, thesis…

Powerpoint

Copy & paste

Mnemos

Abstract

Background

Context

System(s)

Function.

Intention

Reaction

Decision

Goal

Thesis

Co

he

ren

cy

Levels of granularity

10. To summarize a holistic systemic view:

System

P

E

TEC

V

S

R

The research context PESTEC is extended here by Rand V:• R for research

(meta approach) for system

• V for evaluating system values

PESTEC (future research) means Politics & Economy & Social sector & Technology.

The extended PESTECRV – context provides hundreds of novel multidisciplinary research approaches for connecting more traditional topics with each other.

erkki.laitila @goodreason.fi

Thank you for interest!

10. To summarize

GoodReason is a schema for rational systems thinking combining reasoning and visualization.

Systemic worldview is an approach to understand relations of lower level worldviews.

Pro

gres

sW

ell f

are

Recessio

nC

risis, con

flicts

FINALLY..I am sorry

• The topic was different from typical IR research topics.

• Therefore the contents was not specialized for a certain exact purpose.

• The bad news is that it cannot be used as itself without any implementation efforts.

• The good news is that this large topic can lead to wide understanding/comprehension what is science, who we are and how it can help us in our normal life.

Many thanks! erkki.laitila @goodreason.fi

Further information

• http://www.anser.org/docs/systems_thinking_applied.pdf

• www.goodreason.fi