What Is Systems Theory?

System theory belongs to the system science advocated by Academician Qian Xuesen. It is the study of the general model, structure, and laws of systems. It studies the common characteristics of various systems, uses system theory knowledge to quantitatively describe its functions, and seeks and establishes that it is applicable to all systems The principles, principles, and models of the computer science, applied mathematics, and management specialize in a particular direction. Mastering a systematic thinking method and being able to think and analyze problems systematically as a whole are logical and mathematical. Emerging science.

System theory

System thinking has a long history, but as a scientific system theory, it is widely acknowledged that it was founded by L.Von. Bertalanffy, an American Austrian and a theoretical biologist. He put forward the "open system theory" in 1932, and put forward the idea of system theory. The principle of general system theory was put forward in 1937, which laid the theoretical foundation for this science. But his thesis "On General System Theory" was not published until 1945, and his theory was taught again in the United States in 1948.

The founder of general system theory, Beta Ranffy, divided his system theory into two parts: narrow system theory and general system theory. His narrow system theory focuses on the analysis and study of the system itself; while his general system theory focuses on the analysis and research of a related system science. It includes four aspects:

1. Computer systems and applications, mainly studying the development of systems and applications in the field of computer technology.

2. Applied Mathematics, which mainly studies the science of systems and mathematical systems theory.

3. Management engineering, mainly studying the system's ontology, epistemology, value theory and other aspects.

4. Control theory, mainly researching cybernetics, information theory, operations research, and systems engineering.

1. System theory and

There are various systems, and the types of systems can be divided according to different principles and situations.

1. Natural systems and artificial systems can be divided according to human intervention.

2. According to the subject area, it can be divided into natural systems, social systems and thinking systems.

3. According to the scope, there are macro systems and micro systems.

4. According to the relationship with the environment, there are open systems, closed systems, and isolated systems.

5. According to the state, there are balanced systems, unbalanced systems, near-balanced systems, far-balanced systems, and so on.

The task of system theory is not only to understand the characteristics and laws of the system, but more importantly to use these characteristics and laws to control, manage, transform or create a system, so that its existence and development meet the needs of human purposes. In other words, the purpose of researching the system is to adjust the system structure and the relationship between the elements so that the system can reach the optimization goal.

The emergence of systems theory has profoundly changed the way of human thinking. In the past, research problems generally decomposed things into several parts, abstracted the simplest factors, and then explained complex things with partial properties. This is the analysis method laid down by Rene Descartes. The focus of this method is on local or elemental factors, and it follows a single causal determinism, although this is the most effective way of thinking that people have been familiar with for a few hundred years. However, it cannot truthfully explain the wholeness of things, and it cannot reflect the connections and interactions between things. It is only suitable for understanding simpler things, and is not competent for the study of complex issues. With the development of the integration and modernization of modern science, human beings are powerless in the face of many complex problems of huge scale, complex relationships, and numerous parameters. When the traditional analysis methods are at their wit's end, the systematic analysis method can stand at the forefront of the times, build a high-rise building, look at the overall situation, and provide an effective way of thinking for modern complex problems. Therefore, system theory, together with other cross-cutting sciences such as cybernetics and information theory, provides new ideas and methods for human thinking. As a new trend of modern science, they promote the development of various sciences.

System theory reflects the development trend of modern science, reflects the characteristics of modern socialized mass production, and reflects the complexity of modern social life, so its theory and methods can be widely applied. System theory not only provides theories and methods for the development of modern science, but also provides a methodological basis for solving various complex problems in politics, economy, military, science, culture, etc. in modern society. The concept of systems is infiltrating Every field.

The current development trend and direction of system theory is toward the goal of unifying various system theories and establishing a unified system science system. Some scholars believe that "a variety of systematic (theoretical) theories that have emerged with the movement of systems, and the unification of these systematic (theoretical) theories have become major scientific and philosophical issues."