Just in case the world doesn't come to an end too quickly...

I've been getting more inquiries lately about the systems science book and the efforts to develop a systems science undergraduate curriculum. In light of my recent thoughts about the state of higher education and its failure to fulfill its mission (see: Is there a role for elitism in higher education?) I do a lot of thinking about how that could be changed. So if there isn't a complete crash of society (due to energy depletion) over the next twenty years, I still would like to believe that systems science could do a great deal to help the situation.

Here is a piece I recently updated to argue for why systems science should be the core of education. We were focused on higher education, of course, but the argument actually applies across all levels of education. My vision of a University of Noesis with schools for children and teenagers feeding in to it is based on this core curriculum. In the lower age grades I would have the curriculum designed around permaculture as the application and demonstration of systems principles to living. It would provide students with practical knowledge and skills but also show them the importance of systems science. Then when they get to university they are ready to learn systems science directly and how to apply it to other disciplinary areas, at least those that make sense for future society!

I'm in the process of finishing up the book, "Academically Adrift", that I reference in the article. As I read I weep. All of my worst fears and anecdotal experiences are being validated by empirical evidence. The claims I made in the link above about elitism seem increasingly justified. I will be writing much more about it when I've finished that book and one or two others that are related topics.

Comments

[Julienz]

Are you aware of this programme. Maybe something educators could consider http://lawrencehallofscience.org/gss/
I am not associated with the programme just an interested home educating observer in the Antipodes

[mikkel]

Thank you for your efforts, the most accurate description of your view of education is "beautiful." And I mean that literally, since aesthetics is largely about how the parts fit together to create something greater than their sum, and what is your vision other than that in the intellectual domain?

I am trying to do this in the business domain. These parts really resonated with me:
"Duties Not Classes"

"Look for something that needs doing that no one else seems to be taking care of, and take care of it yourself." He then added, "And never compete with anyone."

"In the end there is only one real objective to education. And that is to allow all of the members of society live in harmony while each individual reaches a self-actualized state, essentially enlightenment."

My systems thinking friends and I are trying to figure out how to bring these ideals forth into the real world in a business context through both our internal structure and our relation with the outside world. We will focus on on engineering permaculture oriented products that are not based in consumption but in self determination and holistics; each product works alone in its own systems oriented operation but they can overlap together and support each other.

It is amazing how many intelligent people do not understand these basic principles and an education based in systems oriented thinking would do wonders. It is to the point that I've given up trying to do things the "right" way because those people have no concept of it, so we are starting to focus on our friends, colleagues and those that are humbled but wise.

As you have found out in your own adventures, the lack of capital makes this hard, but it is the only honest path forward and we are finding more people every month that want to participate. Although not nearly enough, so I'm counting on you to get lots of students and create the citizens I need for my doings.

[Florifulgurator]

The Archdruid has a new post, Overcoming Systems Stupidity:

The fact that we don’t normally put the events of the day into their proper contexts, and draw such logical conclusions from them as the inadvisability of poking bears with sticks, has a context of its own. It can be credited to the simple fact that Americans are stupid about systems.

There’s really no gentler way to put it.

He laments the lack of a good clear nontechnical guide to systems thinking -- and recommends a new systems language translation of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching. Chapter 1 in his interpretation:

A process as described is not the process as it exists;
The terms used to describe it are not the things they describe.
That which evades description is the wholeness of the system;
The act of description is merely a listing of its parts.
Without intentionality, you can experience the whole system;
With intentionality, you can comprehend its effects.
These two approach the same reality in different ways,
And the result appears confusing;
But accepting the apparent confusion
Gives access to the whole system.

[Phil Henshaw]

well... there is an outside chance that the reason systems theory is such a mismanaged subject of study is that we don't study natural systems as the subject.

All the sciences actually define their own theories as their reality, is another way to point to it. I dare say they'd get a whole lot further if they each acknowledged that their common subjects are the complex things that nature does so simply.

Then there's be some reason for the different sciences to connect to each other and the natural world they all have in common. Until then it seems certain they'll all continue to wander around in their own self-constructed realities, and students will be more and more bothered by the meaninglessness of what we teach them.

[George Mobus]

Julienz,

Thanks for the link. I will investigate as soon as I can.

------------------------------
Mikkel,

Do my best! Spread the word to the most sapient. They will understand the message.

PS. Credits to my spiritual mentor Buckminster Fuller with whom 5 minutes equaled an eternity!

-----------------------------
Flor,

...and recommends a new systems language translation of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching.

One of my co-authors on the the Systems Book is an expert in Eastern philosophical underpinnings of systems thinking and is working on a chapter inclusion on just this subject!

----------------------------
Phil,

Not sure what you are driving at here. The book (mentioned above) uses lots of systems examples from nature.

However, I hasten to point out that even human-invented systems are "natural" and so we cannot really differentiate between the natural world and the human-built world on an artificial discrimination between natural and human-derived systems.

George

[CNA Training]

This is a great reading. Thanks for sharing this information. We have few readers who would like to read this stuff. We will pass it on to our readers for more feedback.