Author Description

In this book the pionier of the "systems approach," C. West Churchman, develops the ultimate version of his dialectical systems thinking. The "enemies" of the systems approach are those perspectives of society which do not lend themselves to being captured in the rational terms of systems thinking -- politics, morality, religion, and aesthetics. Taking the systems idea seriously means to find ways of dealing constructively and self-critically with these other perspectives. The book offers an early alternative to "systems science" and mainly functionalist systems thinking, an alternative that meanwhile has led to the emergence of critical systems thinking approaches and methodologies. The translator is a former student and collaborator of Churchman and thus guarantees for an authentic translation, along with helpful comments and a thorough-going introduction that relates the work to European-Continental philosophy. The book is now out of print but a stock of remaining copies is still available from the translator (use the link to his home page, where an email address can be found).