#ISSS2018 Corvallis

3439  SYSTEMS PROCESSES THEORY (SPT) AS A CANDIDATE GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY, PROTOTYPE SYSTEMS SCIENCE, & KNOWLEDGE BASE OF WIDESPREAD UTILITY 
Dr. Len Troncale, Emeritus Professor, and Past Chair, Biology Dept.; Past Director, Institute for Advanced Systems Studies; Lecturer, IME Dept., College of Engineering, California State Polytechnic University, lrtroncale@cpp.edu

This paper begins with arguments supporting the need for criteria lists that enable our intended comparison and judgement of alternative approaches to systems theories whether particular or general. It argues that clear criteria, shared as a consensus, is the sine qua non for advancement of the field and may explain why there has been so little consensus and evolutionary progress in GST across its seventy-year history. It also describes a couple of other fields as exemplars in which professional “lists” have become necessary and widely used with what results.

There are advantages to attempts to establish a list of criteria for assessment. Criteria are a bit more neutral and less partisan-involved and so might enable focused, logical appraisal of what needs to be true in systems research as opposed to the current situation of pride, megalomania, special interest and partisan arguments.

The paper presents and defines five suggested lists of criteria. Individual lists are submitted for science in general, theory in general, sciences of systems, general theories of systems, and systems of systems. Debate can then begin on who agrees with these lists, what changes should be made to them, and how they should be applied in order to reach field-wide consensus. The role of consensus in fueling “strong inference and progress” in the natural sciences will be described. The author has found that the absence of such consensus is the root of sluggish development and evolution in systems theory, and much miscommunication across worldviews.

The paper continues with applying the criteria to some widely known alternative candidate GST’s, and self-labelled systems sciences. A chart showing which features of the criteria list that Systems Processes Theory satisfies will be presented. Another chart showing which features of the criteria lists that GST* possesses and which it does not is included. A rationale for what is not included and what criteria are not mentioned in GST* will be discussed. The overall purpose of the paper is to improve pathways for synthesis, integration, and unification of the many diverse approaches to systems.