SYSTEME GENERAL (Diagram of the)
Charles François (2004). SYSTEME GENERAL (Diagram of the), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3426.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3426 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
J.L.LE MOIGNE proposes a general model of system, which he calls “Syst+me G+n+ral” and whose diagram he characterizes as follows:
- “…An object, in an environment, endowed with finalities, which engages in an activity and whose internal structure undergoes an evolution through time, without however to loose its unique identity:
- “In a more trivial way, but possibly easier to remember:
- something (anything that can be identified)
- which do something (activity = function)
- and which, endowed with a structure
- evolves in time
- within something (environment)
- for some reason (finality)
or, yet:
- an object active within an environment structured in relation to some evolving finalities“ (1977, p.37).
We should however take time to reflect seriously about the meaning of terms like structure or finality. It would also probably be better to avoid the term evolve and speak of adaptive transformations for the systems which maintain their identity.