[P2P-F] Back to basics? Tektology and General System Theory (GST)

[Orsan]

By P. Dudley -  http://www.researchgate.net/publication/226636000_Back_to_basics_Tektology_and_General_System_Theory_(GST)
Conclusion
Given the similarities of the work of the two writers in their conception of the necessity, aims, and possibility of a systemic theory, it seems reasonable to state that both GST and Tektology constitute what we would now call systems theories. It is difficult to deny that, in many important respects, Bogdanov's work anticipated Bertalanffy's and, in many respects, exceeded it.
Recent work in Russia (notably by Pustylnik, 1993, 1995) and the preliminary findings of Dudley and Pustylnik (1995) suggest that the scope of the Tektology is far broader than was originally believed (e.g., Gorelik, 1980, 1987). In adopting and extending Sadovski's (1992) "macroparadigms" of systems thought, it is postulated that Bogdanov's formulation of the Tektology contains elements characteristic of all three stages of the development of contemporary systems thought. Thus although limited by the stage of the development of the science of his day, Bogdanov's work anticipated the systems quest of the twentieth century.
The extent to which the Tektology made a direct contribution to the early development of Western (i.e., non-Soviet bloc) systems theory is probably limited. This is due mostly to political suppression within the Soviet Union in the early postpublication years (i.e., when the Tektology would have had the quality of uniqueness) and, possibly, ignorance or a Cold War or academic chauvinism, following the publication of Bertalanffy's "seminal" paper.
If Bogdanov's work (whether the Tektology or others) was known to Bertalanffy is not known. I have certainly found no reference to it in the works I have consulted. What is certain is that the Tektology was available in German (presumably Bertalanffy's first language) in its complete and revised form by 1929. One can only wonder what the loss of those 30 years cost.
Key words
Tektology general system theory history of science East European systems theory
References
Bertalanffy, L. V. (1984).General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications, rev. ed., George Braziller, New York.
Biggart, J., Glovelli, G., and Yassour, A. (1996).A. A. Bogdanov: Published Works; Correspondence; Archives, Avebury Press, Aldershot (in press).
Bogdanov, A. A. (1906).Empiriomonism, Moscow.
Dudley, P. (ed.) (1996).Bogdanov's Tektology, Centre for Systems Studies, Hull, UK (in preparation).
Dudley, P., and Pustylnik, S. N. (1995). Reading the Tektology: Provisional Findings, Postulates and Research Directions, Centre for Systems Studies Working Paper No. 7, Hull.
Flood, R. L. (1990).Liberating Systems Theory, Plenum, London.
Flood, R. L., and Gregory, W. (1988). Systems: Past, Present and Future. In Flood, R. L., Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),Systems Prospects: The Next Ten Years, Plenum, London, pp. 55–60.
Gorelik, G. (1980). Bogdanov's Tektology: Its basic concepts and relevance to modern generalizing sciences.Hum. Syst. Manage. 1(4), 327–337.
Gorelik, G. (trans.) (1984).Essays from Tektology, 2nd ed., Intersystems, Seaside, CA.
Gorelik, G., (1987). Bogdanov's Tektologia, general systems theory, and cybernetics.Cybernet. Syst. 18, 157–175.
Haupt and Marie (1974).Makers of the Russian Revolution (trans., Ferdinand, C. I. P., and Bellos, D. M.), George Allen and Unwin, London.
Johnson, C. (1993).System and Writing in the Philosophy of Jaques Derrida, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Lenin, V. I. (1948).Materialism and Empiriocriticism, Lawrence and Wishart, London.
Pustylnik, S. N. (1993). Biologicheskie idei tektologii A. A. Bogdanoa: k genesisu obshchej teorii sistem.//Dissertacija na soiscanie uchenoj stepeni kandidata biologicheskikh nauk. Moskva, IIET, 1993 (Biological ideas of tektology of A. A. Bogdanov: To genesis of general systems theory), Ph.D. dissertation, Moscow.
Pustylnik, S. N. (1995). Biological Ideas of Bogdanov's Tektology. International Conference, “Origins of Organization Theory in Russia and the Soviet Union,” University of East Anglia, Norwich, Jan. 8–11.
Sadovski, V. N. (1992). Systems Thinking on the Threshold of a 3rd Millenium.Systemist 14(1), 6–14.
Sadovski, V. N. (1995). Empiriomonism as the Philosophical Basis of Bogdanov's Tektology. International Conference, “Origins of Organization Theory in Russia and the Soviet Union,” University of East Anglia, Norwich, Jan. 8–11.
Sochor, Z. A. (1988).Revolution and Culture, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://lists.ourproject.org/pipermail/p2p-foundation/attachments/20150902/19161bcf/attachment.htm