Systems theorySystems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems, i.e., cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or artificial. Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context, defined by its structure, function and role, and expressed through its relations with other systems. A system is "more than the sum of its parts" when it expresses synergy or emergent behavior.
Ludwig von BertalanffyKarl Ludwig von Bertalanffy (19 September 1901 – 12 June 1972) was an Austrianbiologist known as one of the founders of general systems theory (GST). This is an interdisciplinary practice that describes systems with interacting components, applicable to biology, cybernetics and other fields. Bertalanffy proposed that the classical laws of thermodynamics might be applied to closed systems, but not necessarily to "open systems" such as living things.
Open system (systems theory)An open system (also known as a flow system) is a system that has external interactions. Such interactions can take the form of information, energy, or material transfers into or out of the system boundary, depending on the discipline which defines the concept. An open system is contrasted with the concept of an isolated system which exchanges neither energy, matter, nor information with its environment.
Closed systemA closed system is a natural physical system that does not allow transfer of matter in or out of the system, although the transfer of energy is allowed in the contexts of certain fields (e.g. physics, chemistry, engineering, etc). PhysicsIn classical mechanicsIn nonrelativisticclassical mechanics, a closed system is a physical system that does not exchange any matter with its surroundings, and is not subject to any net force whose source is external to the system.
Hans DrieschHans Adolf Eduard Driesch (28 October 1867 – 17 April 1941) was a German biologist and philosopher from Bad Kreuznach. He is most noted for his early experimental work in embryology and for his neo-vitalist philosophy of entelechy. He has also been credited with performing the first artificial 'cloning' of an animal in the 1880s, although this claim is dependent on how one defines cloning. Early yearsDriesch was educated at the Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums.
William T. PowersWilliam T. Powers (August 29, 1926 – May 24, 2013) was a medical physicist and an independent scholar of experimental and theoretical psychology who developed the perceptual control theory (PCT) model of behavior as the control of perception. He was the son of cement scientist and economist Treval Clifford Powers.Perceptual control theoryPerceptual control theory (PCT) is a model of behavior based on the properties of negative feedback control loops. A control loop maintains a sensed variable at or near a reference value by means of the effects of its outputs upon that variable, as mediated by physical properties of the environment. In engineering control theory, reference values are set by a user outside the system. An example is a thermostat.
DrieschDriesch is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Angela von den Driesch (1934–2012), German archaeologist and veterinarianHans Driesch (1867–1941), German biologist and philosopherJohannes Driesch (1901–1930), German painter, graphic artist, ceramicist, and book cover designerThis page lists people with the surnameDriesch.Complex systemA complex system is a system composed of many components that interact with one another. Examples of complex systems are Earth's global climate, organisms, the human brain, infrastructure such as a power grid, transportation or communication systems, complex software and electronic systems, social and economic organizations (like cities), an ecosystem, a living cell, and, ultimately, for some authors, the entire universe.
TrajectoryA trajectory is the path an object takes through its motion over time. In classical mechanics, a trajectory is defined by Hamiltonian mechanics via canonical coordinates; hence, a complete trajectory is defined by position and momentum, simultaneously. The object as a mass might be a projectile or a satellite. For example, it can be an orbit — the path of a planet, asteroid, or comet as it travels around a central mass.
GoalA goal or objective is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value.
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