Friday, January 15, 2010

Not so Random Thoughts of a Systems Thinker

  1. When a general theory applicable to all organisation is presented, it is impossible to make a statement that does not directly or indirectly fall within the scope of the theory.
  2. Arguments are worthless if premises are unknown or unshared (to those exchanging the argument).
  3. Words are meaningless without convention.
  4. Convention accumulates the shared concepts of a community.
  5. Truth is purely a consequence of reason.
  6. Correctness is relative to the observer.
  7. Objective truth is as much a myth as subjective truth.
  8. When truth and correctness coincide on the plane of every observer in the system, we have utopia.
  9. The theory of organisation of systems is the logic of a world whose elements can act.
  10. Economic phenomena like inflation, Kondretieff cycle and business cycles are a consequence of the laws of organisation and not market mechanisms.
  11. Incomprehensible sequences of happenings are miracles.
  12. Language is a culture’s theory of action.
  13. All that is willed is possible when pursued with humility.
  14. It takes genius to discover genius.
  15. Use of only comparators is the root of trouble.
  16. If Australopithecus originated in central Africa, what are we doing elsewhere?
  17. The sound of silence can be heard loudest for those who have the ears.
Source: 
Stellingen behorende bij het proefschrift
Toolbox for Tomorrow: Exploring and Designing Sustainable Systems
Anupam Saraph [September 1994]