<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br>By P. Dudley - <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/226636000_Back_to_basics_Tektology_and_General_System_Theory_(GST)">http://www.researchgate.net/publication/226636000_Back_to_basics_Tektology_and_General_System_Theory_(GST)</a><br><section class="Abstract" id="Abs1" lang="en" style="outline: 0px; margin-top: 14px;"><h2 class="Heading" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin: 7px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><font size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Conclusion</span></font></h2><p class="Para" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Given the similarities of the work of the two writers in their conception of the necessity, aims, and possibility of a <em class="EmphasisTypeItalic " style="outline: 0px;">systemic</em> theory, it seems reasonable to state that both GST and Tektology constitute what we would now call <em class="EmphasisTypeItalic " style="outline: 0px;">systems theories</em>. It is difficult to deny that, in many important respects, Bogdanov's work anticipated Bertalanffy's and, in many respects, exceeded it.</span></p><p class="Para" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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 <em class="EmphasisTypeItalic " style="outline: 0px;">systems quest</em> of the twentieth century.</span></p><p class="Para" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The extent to which the Tektology made a direct contribution to the early development of <em class="EmphasisTypeItalic " style="outline: 0px;">Western</em> (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 <em class="EmphasisTypeItalic " style="outline: 0px;">Cold War</em> or academic chauvinism, following the publication of Bertalanffy's "seminal" paper.</span></p><p class="Para" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></p></section><div class="KeywordGroup" lang="en" style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><h3 class="Heading" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; margin: 20px 0px 7px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><font size="3"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Key words</span></font></h3><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="Keyword" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; display: inline;">Tektology</span> <span class="Keyword" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; display: inline;">general system theory</span> <span class="Keyword" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; display: inline;">history of science</span> <span class="Keyword" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; display: inline;">East European systems theory</span></span></div><div class="KeywordGroup" lang="en" style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="Keyword" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; display: inline;">References</span></span></div><div class="KeywordGroup" lang="en" style="border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; width: 607.140625px;"><ol class="BibliographyWrapper" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; outline: 0px; display: table;"><li class="Citation" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px;"><cite class="CitationContent" id="CR1" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Bertalanffy, L. 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