System

anon

Clarification activity	Information, Knowledge and Philosophy
Author(s)	Alexander Prugger
Creation date	Jan 2023
Status	🔵 Ready to publish

A system is defined as a set of entities and the relations between them, but unlike a network, a system is characterized by having a goal or function that organizes those relations. Referring to Ludwig von Bertalanffy and Russell L. Ackoff, the article explains how systems can integrate multiple networks while exhibiting coordinated behaviour and purpose. Using examples such as the human nervous system, social organization, and the internet, it highlights the importance of distinguishing between networks and systems for understanding complexity, technological infrastructures, and social dynamics.

The International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics (IESC), hosted in glossaLAB, provides a broad and deep understanding of systems from the perspectives of most relevant supporters of systems science (s. for instance, IESC's article SYSTEM).

Systems

System is a word which – as many others – comes from the ancient greek; systēma which means “whole concept made of several parts or members, system”. Further, as Langefors states; “A system is a set of entities with relations beween them”, which sounds like a Network at first. Historically in the modern times, Ludwig von Bertalanffy is to mentioned; he founded the “General system theory” in the 1940’s. Although, for the sake of this paper I’d point out Russel L. Ackoff, who distinguished between “goal maintaining”, “goal seeking”, “multi goal” and “goal changing” systems.

So we can conclude as that, that a System – in contrast to a Network – needs a goal or rather a connection with a goal. As previous mentioned; there are biological networks and may many thought about the neural system which makes our brains; yet as the name already states, that is rather a system than a simple network. The central nervous system of mammals, and therefor Humans, is to be considered as a System and probably one of the most tangible and easiest examples for that.

Although, we also can look at the comparission between social networks and systems; while on the one hand, our social network does consist of the contacts we have like Family, Friends and alike – on the other hand, the social system is more complicated. It does consists of the sum of our different social networks, the networks institutions do have between us and we don’t interact with directly, rules which are rooted in our cultural enviorment, our own status and so on.

Examples for different types or rather Theories for Systems would be;

• Complex Systems: Systems which are composed of different other Systems and/or Networks. Organisms like Humans or also our global Climate.
• Chaos Theory: A interdisciplinary branch of Mathematics which does look for so called underlying patterns and deterministic laws of dynamical systems.

Also Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be a "System" consisting of several Networks of smaller parts.

Networks vs. Systems & Conclusion

So while a System can include many Networks and a Network can consist of many Systems; the difference is their goal or rather their lack of it. The question is though, why that even matters?

Despite the obvious fact that the lines between networks and system can be blurry sometimes, it is important to differ between them; because of the mentioned difference. We often are only able to fully understand a Concept, if we can determine if it has a certain “goal” or if it’s just “there”. In addition to that, as the “small world effect” has shown us or the example of the bridges in Königsberg – there can be a real benefit of understanding networks or systems even on a rather “smaller” level. When we look at the “small world effect”, we can draw conclusions in regards of the spreading of Information and Eulers Formulas can be used to calculate routes; for Computer Scientists in regards of digital networks but also in our day to day lives concerning navigation. Who want to take the same bridge several times if he’s on vacation on his motorcycle? Even from a philosophically point of view, not only the difference of such things Is important but also their properties. Is something purely dictated by randomness or is there a pattern behind it? And how can we influence, plan or change it for the benefit of all?

As mentioned, the Internet – a Network – has certain characteristics nowadays which makes it or rather it users “not equal”; furthermore, due to its architecture we could even conclude that there’s a certain System behind it. So, we can see that Network & System Theory isn’t only important from a theoretically stance but has rather a very real, and very important application in our all lives.