GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY: limits to its algorithmization

Charles François (2004). GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY: limits to its algorithmization, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1405.

Collection	International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics
Year	2004
Vol. (num.)	2(1)
ID	◀ 1405 ▶
Object type	Epistemology, ontology or semantics, Methodology or model

N. KASKOV, quoted by I.V. BLAUBERG et al, “demonstrated that the following mass problems could not be solved in the framework of the general systems theory: — to construct

- an algorithm allowing to find all the elements of any given system;

- an algorithm allowing to find all the connections of any given system;

- an algorithm allowing to determine the structure of any given system;

- an algorithm allowing to determine all the functions realized by any given system“ (1977, p.205).

Of course, neither could any other theory produce any such algorithms.

Such a result seems perfectly logical, in view of the massive non-linearity' of complex systems. KASKOV's statements are quite interesting in relation to FORRESTER''s Systems Dynamics and to Systems Analysis in general.

See also