The Systems Bible: The Beginner's Guide to Systems Large and Small,9780961825171

The Systems Bible: The Beginner's Guide to Systems Large and Small

by
ISBN13: 9780961825171
ISBN10: 0961825170
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2003-01-01
Publisher(s): General Systemantics Pr
List Price: $27.95

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi
Preface to the First Edition xiii
Preface to the Second Edition xvii
Preface to the Third Edition xxiii
Introduction 1(4)
Paradox Lost and Found
Dimensions of the Problem
Historical Overview
5(254)
The Primal Scenario
Early Prophets
Korzybski
From Potter to Peter by Way of Parkinson
Part One: Basic Theory
A. The Mysterious Ways of Systems
First Principles
13(4)
The Fundamental Theorem
Conservation of Anergy
Laws of Growth
17(4)
Expansion and Encroachment
Do-It-Yourself and Self-Service
The Generalized Uncertainty Principle
21(4)
Antics
Climax Design
The Non-Additivity Theorem
A..B..C..Disaster(Feedback)
25(4)
Le Chatelier's Law
The Power of Positive Feedback: A Warning
29(2)
Runaways
Oscillating Systems
What Next? (The Life Cycle of Systems)
31(6)
Fully Prepared For The Past (F.P.F.P.)
The Tenacity of Temporary Arrangements
The New System and the Old System
B. Inside and Outside
The Grand Illusion
37(8)
Functionary's Falsity and the Operational Fallacy
Inside Systems
45(6)
The F.L.A.W. Coefficient of Fiction
Functionary's Pride
Hireling's Hypnosis
Delusion Systems Versus Systems-Delusions
51(4)
The Jet Travel Paradox
Manager's Mirage
Manager's Mania
Orwell's Inversion
Systems-People
55(6)
Specialized Selection
Bypassing the System
Exploitation Theorems
C. Function and Failure
Elementary Systems Functions
61(6)
Impotent Potentate Syndrome
Vending Machine Fallacy
Advanced Systems Functions
67(4)
Functional Indeterminacy Theorem (F.I.T.)
The Kantian Hypothesis
The System Knows (System Goals)
71(4)
Equifinality
Inner Goals
Function, Purpose, Will
Systems Failure (Theory of Errors)
75(6)
Failure Mode
Graceful Degradation
Failure Mode Mantras
The Fail-Safe Theorem
Glitches, Gremlins, Bugs
81(4)
Bugs: What Are They?
Bug Behavior
Intermittent Failure
Can Bugs Be Useful (Bug Or Bonanza)?
Some Famous Bugs
Form, Function, Failure
85(2)
The Origin of Novelty
Specialized Incapacity
Colossal Errors
87(8)
Grandiosity
Large Lumps of Liability
Total Systems
Unexpected Interactions
95(4)
The Electric Turtle Effect
Fearful Symmetry
D. Communication Theory
Communication Theory
99(4)
The Batesonian Sleeping Dog
Transactional Theorems
Dunn's Indeterminacy
Information
103(4)
Lynd's Lemma
Information Theory
The Basic Information Theorem (B.I. T.) Rate-of-Decay Theorem
Interconvertibility Theorem (Garbage Transfer)
Inaccessibility Theorem
Talking to the System
107(8)
Whole Dog Spot
The Deregulated Dinosaur Effect
Systemsemantics
Part Two: Applied Systemantics
A. Systems and Self-Defense: Meta-Strategies
How Not To Solve Problems
115(4)
Denial (No Problem!)
Information, Please!
Hopeful Traveling
Getting Rid Of
The Tao of Problem Avoidance (Meta-Strategy I)
119(4)
On Not Joining The Coast Guard
Creative Incompetence
The Creative Tack (Meta-Strategy II)
123(4)
B. Practical Systems-Design
Design Don'ts
127(6)
Occam's Razor
Unfavorable Settings
Uphill Configurations
The Systems Law of Gravity (The S.L.O.G. Factor)
Looseness
Bad Design
Gresham's Law
Brooks' Law
Catastrophe Theory
133(4)
C. Management and Other Myths
Wishful Feedback
137(4)
The Potemkin Village Effect
Output Phobia
The Lesson of Three Mile Island
The Model of The Universe
Fear of Feedback
141(4)
Feedback and the Future
145(4)
Catalytic Managership (Utilization)
149(2)
The ``Problem''Problem
151(4)
Fits and Starts
The Crash Approach
The Limits to Grandiosity
155(4)
Limit Theorems
Grandiosity
The Perils of Perfection
Perfectionist's Paradox
Disaster Control
159(4)
Minsky's Admonition
Jung's Runic Riddle
D. Intervention
Where's The Problem?
163(4)
Change Agentry
Parts versus Whole
The Ladder of Logical Levels
Probing the System
167(4)
The Laboratory Rat Scandal
Cubology
One More Strategy
The Problem in the Solution
171(8)
The Observer Effect
Systems and Self-reference
The Nasal Spray Effect
Finding the Thermostat
Taming Systems
179(2)
The Token System
The Problem In The Question
181(6)
The System Out There and the System In Here
Switching Models
The Importance of Being Properly Framed
The Net of Indra
187(2)
Beyond Stability
189(2)
After the Solution, What? (The Next Problem)
191(68)
The Dance of Accommodation
Feedback, Flexibility, Creativity
Envoi
193(2)
Appendices
I Annotated Compendium
195(14)
Basic Systems-Axioms, Theorems, Corollaries, etc.
Select List of Meta-Strategies
II Self-evaluation Quizzes and Essay Questions
209(8)
III Readers' Tear-out Feedback Sheet
217(2)
IV Whole Systems Catalogue
219(14)
Outstanding Examples of the Operation of the Laws of General Systemantics (``Horrible Examples'')
Entry Blank
V Glossary
233(10)
VI Partial List Of Animals
243(2)
That Have Contributed To Our Understanding of Systems
VII List of Horrible Examples
245(14)
Notes and References 259(20)
Biased Bibliography and Good Reading List 279(4)
Index of Horrible Examples 283(14)
General Index 297

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