Systems theory studies complex structures in nature, society, and science, analyzing their formation, function, and goals. It emerged from ecological studies and aims to develop a general theory for all systems. The definition of a system varies, with closed systems defined by uniform relationships and open systems including excluded parts. Emergence is also important, as simple relationships can create something heterogeneous.
Systems theory is usually the interdisciplinary study of complex structures that can occur in nature, society or science. Examples of complex structures can vary widely, involving everything from ant colonies to political parties to languages. Systems theorists can analyze how such systems form, how they function, or what the intended goal of a system is.
The field of systems theory emerged as a corollary of biological studies. Following the analysis of ecological systems in nature, systems theorists have applied the basic logic of systems to the non-ecological phenomenon. Pioneers in the field, such as Hungarian scientist Bela H. Banathy, have argued that a clear definition of the concept of system is integral to establishing the foundations of any science, while simultaneously determining the possibility of its growth.
Many systems theorists have attempted to develop a general theory that explains the function of any imaginable system. This approach would explain different systems such as a hive or a government according to the same general principles and laws. This hypothesis infers that there is an integral underlying logic in all systems.
According to the debate in the academic literature about what exactly constitutes a system, many different approaches to systems theory have been proposed. Commonly, the key characteristics of a system have been identified as the relationship between the individual parts perceived to form a holistic entity. This approach defines the consistency of a system according to uniform sets of relationships and patterns of behavior, also known as a closed system. For example, an ant colony system is made up of the various behavior patterns of the specific ants that are members of it. These different behaviors will in turn be correlated with each other, producing the notion of an overall homogeneity of a system defined in terms of its coherent function.
Some academics contrast the notion of closed system with the concept of open system. They argue that the definition of any closed system involves a reduction error which simplifies the nature of a system. Conversely, open systems theorists point out that many times systems can be defined in terms of what they exclude, as opposed to what they include, or that parts, which are not seen as part of a system, can be integrated into it .
Concepts such as emergence are also an important part of systems theory. Emergence describes the phenomenon of how a simple set of relationships between parts can create something completely heterogeneous for these parts. Common examples of emergencies include the Internet and the stock market.
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