Abstract
IfSystems Practice is to serve the cause of socially rational decision making, its understanding of systems approach must open itself up to the communicative dimension of rational practice uncovered by contemporary practical philosophy. This programmatic paper argues that building the bridge between the two traditions of systems thinking and practical philosophy is a key challenge to be faced by the systems community. A three-level framework of rational systems practice is suggested as a point of departure for a program of research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackoff, R. L. (1974).Redesigning the Future, Wiley, New York.
Ackoff, R. L. (1982). On the hard headedness and soft heartedness of M. C. Jackson.J. Appl. Sys. Anal. 9, 31–33.
Ansoff, H. I. (1975). Managing strategic surprise by response to weak signals.Calif. Manage. Rev. 17, 126.
Apel, K. O. (1976).Transformation der Philosophie, Suhrkamp, Frankfurt, Germany.
Ashby, W. R. (1956).An Introduction to Cybernetics, Chapman & Hall, London.
Beer, S. (1972).Brain of the Firm, Penguin Press, Harmondsworth (2nd ed., Wiley, Chichester, 1981).
Beer, S. (1983). A reply to Ulrich's “Critique of Pure Cybernetic Reason: The Chilean Experience With Cybernetics.”J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 10, 115–119.
Beer, S. (1985).Diagnosing the System for Organisations, Wiley, Chichester.
Bryer, R. A. (1979). The status of the systems approach.Omega Int. J. Manage. 7, 219–231.
Bryer, R. A. (1980). Some comments on Churchman and Ulrich's “Reply” to “The Status of the Systems Approach.”Omega 8, 280.
Bubner, R. (1975). Eine Renaissance der praktischen Philosophie.Philos. Rundschau 22, 1–34.
Capra, F. (1982).The Turning Point, Simon & Schuster, New York.
Checkland, P. B. (1972). Towards a system-based methodology for real-world problem solving.J. Syst. Eng. 3(2), 1–30.
Checkland, P. B. (1978). The origins and nature of “hard” systems thinking.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 5, 99–110.
Checkland, P. B. (1981).Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, Wiley, Chichester.
Checkland, P. B. (1982). Soft systems methodology as process: a reply to M. C. Jackson.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 9, 34–36.
Chestnut, H. (1967).Systems Engineering Methods, Wiley, New York.
Christenson, C. (1981). The systems approach and its enemies. Book Review.J. Enterprise Manage. 3, 197–199.
Churchman, C. W. (1968a).Challenge to Reason, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Churchman, C. W. (1968b).The Systems Approach, Delacorte and Dell, New York (2nd ed., Dell, 1979).
Churchman, C. W. (1971).The Design of Inquiring Systems, Basic Books, New York.
Churchman, C. W. (1979).The Systems Approach and Its Enemies, Basic Books, New York.
Churchman, C. W. (1981).Thought and Wisdom, Intersystems, Seaside, Calif.
Churchman, C. W. (1982). Reply to M. C. Jackson.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 9, 37.
Churchman, C. W., and Ulrich, W. (1981). The status of the systems approach, a reply to R. A. Bryer.Omega 8, 277–280.
Churchman, C. W., Cowan, T. A., and Ulrich, W. (1981). Counterpoint of Christenson's critique—a dialogue.J. Enterprise Manage. 3, 200–202.
Daenzer, W. F. (ed.) (1976).Systems Engineering, BWI, Zurich, Switzerland, and Hanstein, Cologne, Germany.
de Neufville, R., and Stafford, J. H. (1971).Systems Analysis for Engineers and Managers, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Emery, F. E. (ed.) (1969).Systems Thinking, Penguin Books, Harmondsworth.
Emery, F. E., and Trist, E. L. (1965). The causal texture of organisational environment.Hum. Relat. 18, 21–32 [reprinted in Emery (1969, pp. 241–257)].
Feibleman, J. K. (1954). Theory of integrative levels.Br. J. Philos. Sci. 5, 59–66.
Forrester, J. W. (1971).World Dynamics, Wright-Allen, Cambridge, Mass.
Goode, H. H., and Machol, R. E. (1957).Systems Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Gosling, W. (1962).The Design of Engineering Systems, Heywood, London.
Habermas, J. (1971a).Knowledge and Human Interests, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.
Habermas, J. (1971b).Towards a Rational Society, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.
Habermas, J. (1973a).Theory and Practice, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.
Habermas, J. (1973c). Wahrheitstheorien. In Fahrenbach, H. (ed.),Wirklichkeit und Reflexion, Neske, Pfullingen, Germany, pp. 211–265.
Habermas, J. (1979a). What is universal pragmatics? InCommunication and the Evolution of Society, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass., pp. 1–68.
Habermas, J. (1979b).Communication and the Evolution of Society, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.
Habermas, J. (1981).Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns, Suhrkamp, Frankfurt, Germany.
Hall, A. D. (1962).A Methodology for Systems Engineering, Van Nostrand, Princeton, N.J.
Höffe, O. (1979).Ethik and Politik, Grundmodelle und -probleme der praktischen Philosophie, Suhrkamp, Frankfurt, Germany.
Hoos, I. R. (1972).Systems Analysis in Public Policy: A Critique, University of California Press, Berkeley.
Horkheimer, M. (1967).Zur Kritik der instrumentellen Vernunft, Fischer, Frankfurt, Germany.
Jackson, M. C. (1982). The nature of “soft” systems thinking: The work of Churchman, Ackoff and Checkland.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 9, 17–29.
Jackson, M. C. (1983). The nature of “soft” systems thinking: Comment on the three replies.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 10, 109–113.
Jackson, M. C. (1985). Social systems theory and practice: The need for a critical approach.Int. J. Gen. Syst. 10, 135–151.
Jackson, M. C. (1987). New directions in management science. In Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),New Directions in Management Science, Gower, Aldershot, Hants., pp. 133–164.
Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.) (1987).New Directions in Management Science, Gower, Aldershot, Hants.
Jantsch, E. (1975).Design for Evolution, Braziller, New York.
Jenkins, G. M. (1969). The systems approach.J. Syst. Eng. 1(1), 3–49.
Kant, I. (1786).Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, 2nd ed., Harper Torchbooks, New York (1964).
Kant, I. (1787).Critique of Pure Reason, 2nd ed., Macmillan, London (1929).
Kant, I. (1788).Critique of Practical Reason and Other Writings in Moral Philosophy, University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1949).
Keys, P. (1987). Traditional management science and the emerging critique. In Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),New Directions in Management Science, Gower, Aldershot, Hants., pp. 1–25.
Malik, F., and Probst, G. J. B. (1982). Evolutionary management.Cybernet. Syst. 13, 153–174.
Marcuse, H. (1964).One-Dimensional Man, Beacon Press, Boston, Mass.
Mason, R. D., and Mitroff, I. I. (1981).Challenging Strategic Planning Assumptions, Wiley, New York.
Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., and Behrens, W. W., III (1972).The Limits to Growth, A Report for the Club of Rome's Project on the Predicament of Mankind, Universe Books, New York.
Neumann, J. von, and Morgenstein, D. (1944).Theory of Games and Economic Behavior, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
Nikaranov, S. P. (1965). Systems analysis: A stage in the development of the methodology of problem solving in the USA. In Optner, S. L. (ed.),Systems Analysis, Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, pp. 141–169.
Optner, S. L. (ed.) (1973).Systems Analysis, Penguin Books, Harmondsworth.
Quade, E. S., and Boucher, W. I. (1968).Systems Analysis and Policy Planning: Applications in Defence, Elsevier, New York.
Quade, E. S., Brown, K., Levien, R., Majone, G., and Rakhmankulov, V. (1978). Systems analysis: An outline for the IIASA international series of monographs.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 5, 91–98.
Rapoport, A. (1960).Fights, Games and Debates, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.
Rawls, J. (1971).A Theory of Justice, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Riedel, M. (ed.) (1972–1974).Rehabilitierung der praktischen Philosophy, Rombach, Freiburg, Germany.
Rosenhead, J. (1982). Why does management need management science? In Troncale, L. (ed.),A General Survey of Systems Methodology, Soc. Gen. Syst. Res., Washington, D.C.
Rosenhead, J. (1984). Debating systems methodology: Conflicting ideas about conflict and ideas.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 11 79–84.
Rosenhead, J. (1987). From management science to workers' science. In Jackson, M. C., and Keys, P. (eds.),New Directions in Management Science, Gower, Aldershot, Hants., pp. 109–131.
Simon, H. A. (1962). The architecture of complexity.Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 106, 467–482.
Simon, H. A. (1969).The Sciences of the Artificial, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Smith, B. L. R. (1966).The RAND Corporation: Case Study of a Non-profit Advisory Corporation, Harvard University Press, Boston, Mass.
Tinker, T., and Lowe, T. (1984). One-dimensional management science: The making of a technocratic consciousness.Interfaces 14, 40–49.
Toulmin, S. (1964).The Uses of Argument, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Ulrich, P. (1988). Betriebswirtschaftslehre als praktische Sozialökonomie. In Wunderer, R. (ed.),Betriebswirtschaftslehre als Management-und Führungslehre, 2nd ed. Haupt, Berne, Switzerland, pp. 151–175.
Ulrich, W. (1981a). On blaming the messenger for the bad news: Reply to Bryer's comments.Omega Int. J. Manage. Sci. 9, 7.
Ulrich, W. (1981b). A critique of pure cybernetic reason: The Chilean experience with cybernetics.J. Appl. Syst. Anal. 8, 33–59.
Ulrich, W. (1981c). Systemrationalität und praktische Vernunft-Gedonken zum Stand des Systemansatzes. Introduction to the German translation of Churchman (1979),Der Systemansatz und seine Feinde, Haupt, Berne, Switzerland, pp. 7–38.
Ulrich, W., (1983).Critical Heuristics of Social Planning: A New Approach to Practical Philosophy, Haupt, Berne, Switzerland.
Ulrich, W. (1984). Management oder die Kunst, Entscheidungen zu treffen, die andere betreffen.Die Unternehmung 38, 326–346.
Ulrich, W. (1987a). The metaphysics of social systems design. In Van Gigch, J. P. (ed.),Decision Making About Decision Making: Metamodels and Metasystems, Abacus Press, Tunbridge Wells, England, pp. 219–226.
Ulrich, W. (1987b). Critical heuristics of social systems design.Eur. J. Operation. Res. 31 276–283 (previously circulated as Working Paper No. 10, Department of Management Systems and Sciences, University of Hull, March 1986).
Ulrich, W. (1988). Systemtheorie der Planung. In Szyperski, N. (ed.),Handwörterbuch der Planung, Poeschel, Stuttgart, Germany (in press).
Vester, F., and Hesler, A. von (1980).The Sensitivity Model, Regionale Planungsgemeinschaft Untermain, Frankfurt, Germany.
Vickers, G. (1983).Human Systems Are Different, Harper & Row, London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ulrich, W. Systems thinking, systems practice, and practical philosophy: A program of research. Systems Practice 1, 137–163 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01059855
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01059855