Complexity Quote by Rich Jolly
““systems theory or, as some people might call it, complexity theory? The simplest explanation is that it is the study of interactions.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Systems Theory Introduction, 2021
Systems theory studies how parts interact to form complex wholes.
In simple terms: Systems theory examines interactions.
Key Takeaway
Study interconnections.
Themes
systems
complexity
interdependence
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- software design
- ecology
- education
Key Concepts
emergence
feedback loops
Questions to Reflect On
- How do small changes affect the whole?
- What feedback loops exist in your work?
A Different Perspective
Complexity can be overwhelming.
![“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)
![“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)
![“[In science any model depends on a pre-chosen taxonomy] a set of classifications into which we divide the enormous complexity of the real world... Land, labor, and capital are extremely heterogeneous aggregates, not much better than earth, air, fire, and water.” quote by Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/47e/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_air_in-science-any-model-depends-on-a-pre-ch_12383.jpg)
