Brain Quote by Marilyn Ferguson
![“General Systems Theory, a related modern concept [to holism], says that each variable in any system interacts with the other variables so thoroughly that cause and effect cannot be separated. A simple variable can be both cause and effect. Reality will not be still. And it cannot be taken apart!…” quote by Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bc0/marilyn-ferguson-4496_brain_general-systems-theory-a-related-modern_294850.jpg)
“General Systems Theory, a related modern concept [to holism], says that each variable in any system interacts with the other variables so thoroughly that cause and effect cannot be separated. A simple variable can be both cause and effect. Reality will not be still. And it cannot be taken apart! You cannot understand a cell, a rat, a brain structure, a family, a culture if you isolate it from its context. Relationship is everything.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Aquarian Conspiracy, 1980
Systems are interdependent; isolating parts prevents true understanding, so relationships define reality.
In simple terms: Everything is connected; context matters.
Key Takeaway
Study wholes, not just parts.
Themes
interdependence
holism
complexity
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- education reform
- organizational design
- environmental policy
Key Concepts
Systems thinking
emergence
contextual analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view change your problem‑solving?
- What relationships are you overlooking?
A Different Perspective
Complex systems can be unpredictable.
![“A second possible approach to general systems theory is through the arrangement of theoretical systems and constructs in a hierarchy of complexity, roughly corresponding to the complexity of the "individuals" of the various empirical fields... leading towards a "system of systems." [...] I suggest…” quote by Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eca/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_animal_a-second-possible-approach-to-general-sy_1597191.jpg)
![“Modern dynamical systems theory has a relatively short history. It begins with Poincare (of course)... [to whom] a global understanding of the gross behavior of all solutions of the system was more important than the local behavior of particular, analytically-precise solutions.” quote by Robert L. Devaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a09/robert-l-devaney-78664_behavior_modern-dynamical-systems-theory-has-a-re_1515504.jpg)
