This post features a draft of a piece of my meta-rationality book. It is the first half of the second chapter of Part Four of the book. (Got that?)
The first chapter was an introduction to Part Four; you can read it here.
This second chapter is an overview of meta-rational practice. It has six sections:
When to get meta-rational
Meta-rational norms
Meta-rational processes, operations, and methods
Opportunities for meta-rational improvement
Meta-rational maxims
Fluid competence
This post includes the first three sections. I’ll publish the second three as a separate post, so they’re each about the right length for a newsletter issue.
(Right? Or is this too long? Or would you rather have had the whole chapter at once?)
My thanks to the nine readers who signed on as paying subscribers after reading my last post! I really appreciate it. This one is part-paid: there’s a paywall about halfway through.
Meta-rational practices: Overview 1Norms, processes, operations, methodsDAVID CHAPMANMAR 9, 2024∙ PAID3ShareThis post features a draft of a piece of my meta-rationality book. It is the first half of the second chapter of Part Four of the book. (Got that?)The first chapter was an introduction to Part Four; you can read it here.This second chapter is an overview of meta-rational practice. It has six sections:When to get meta-rationalMeta-rational normsMeta-rational processes, operations, and methodsOpportunities for meta-rational improvementMeta-rational maximsFluid competenceThis post includes the first three sections. I’ll publish the second three as a separate post, so they’re each about the right length for a newsletter issue.(Right? Or is this too long? Or would you rather have had the whole chapter at once?)My thanks to the nine readers who signed on as paying subscribers after reading my last post! I really appreciate it. This one is part-paid: there’s a paywall about halfway through.
🌟 JOIN US in honoring the invaluable contributions of women in System Dynamics!
Their dedication and leadership have reshaped our discipline, paving the way for greater gender diversity. Together, let’s celebrate their resilience and visionary leadership. 👩🏻🦱👩🏼💼🧕🏻👩🏻🦰👩🏾
Donella Meadows is one of the most influential environmental thinkers of the twentieth century. Dana’s unique blend of rigor, insight, and humility made her a revered figure in the System Dynamics and systems thinking community and beyond. Her writings and speeches challenged us to think deeply about our role in shaping the world, while her humor and warmth inspired us to take action with compassion and conviction. ✨
We compiled a list of publications by women in the field. Join us in recognizing the immense contributions of women to System Dynamics and systems thinking.
[In his posts, David says March 12 (Europe), March 14 (Americas), March 15 (Australia) – I suspect the US may have booked out.]
From Unfreezing-Refreezing, to Systems Changes Learning by David Ing.
The field theory (circa 1947) from Kurt Lewin has largely been portrayed as “unfreeze-move-refreeze”. In the history of systems thinking, Lewin was foundational for the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) and Socio-Ecological (SES) perspectives of Fred E. Emery and Eric L. Trist. With rising interests in Systems Changes, might we theorize (and philosophize) differently?
In 2013, an aritcle on “Rethinking Systems Thinking” was published. In 2019, the Systems Changes Learning Circle was founded in Toronto on an espoused 10-year journey to collectively explore progressing the rich legacy of the systems movement. In 2022-2023, two pilot consulting engagements were conducted, with materials openly accessible under Creative Commons licensing. From 2023, three (academic) peer-reviewed journal articles have been published, and a fourth is in final review. Passing the halfway point in the journey, the Circle now has subgroups on explaining theory and refining practices aligned with a new approach.
In this Dialogic Drinks session, we will discuss:
What if we resequence thinking on “systems” as “genetic-social” before “clockworks”?
What if we resequence thinking on “systems changes” as “ecological” before “behavioral”?
What if we resequence thinking on “systems changes learning” as “propensity” before “causality”?
This DD conversation has been planned with a subsequent deeper philosophical session on “Yinyang and Daojia into Systems Thinking”.
David Ing is a Research Fellow with the Creative Systemic Research Platform Institute (Switzerland, Spain, Finland). He served as president of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (2011-2012), and is currently Representative of the Trustees to the Board of Directors. For 28 years at IBM, he had assignments in management consulting, executive education, market development and headquarters planning. The father of four sons, all in successful careers, he lives in Toronto Canada with his supportive spouse. He blogs at https://coevolving.com.
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
Abstract
This thesis examines the use of cybernetics (the science of systems) in music, through the tracing of an obscured history. The author postulates that cybernetic music may be thought of as genera of music in its own right, whose practitioners share a common ontology and set of working practices that distinctly differ from traditional approaches to composing electronic music. Ultimately, this critical examination of cybernetics in music provides the framework for a series of original compositions and the foundation of the further study of cybernetic music.
Date of Award
2016
Original language
English
Awarding Institution
Coventry University
Supervisor
Tom Williams (Supervisor)
Cybernetics in MusicDaren PicklesFAH School of Media and Performing ArtsStudent thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of PhilosophyAbstractThis thesis examines the use of cybernetics (the science of systems) in music, through the tracing of an obscured history. The author postulates that cybernetic music may be thought of as genera of music in its own right, whose practitioners share a common ontology and set of working practices that distinctly differ from traditional approaches to composing electronic music. Ultimately, this critical examination of cybernetics in music provides the framework for a series of original compositions and the foundation of the further study of cybernetic music.Date of Award2016Original languageEnglishAwarding InstitutionCoventry UniversitySupervisorTom Williams (Supervisor)
Everything is Connected Press CIC https://eicpress.com is a systemic writing, publishing and research not-for-profit which supports the independent open access journal, Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice https://murmurations.cloud
[For some reason – I’m surprised and disappointed – the dedicated site no longer works. But the business end of this is here https://www.systemspractice.org/thevsmtest ]
Ready to face complexity
The VSM Test
The aim of the VSM test is to provide a quick and easy introduction to powerful complexity skills.
Train and Test your VSM Skills.
Your road to VSM
✓ Read the Guide
✓ Do the Test
✓Share your Knowledge
Viable System Model
The Viable System Model (VSM) is based on management cybernetics theory developed by Stafford Beer. The model identifies essential functions within an organization, each responsible for specific tasks such as operations, coordination, and strategic planning, aiming to achieve viability and adaptability in complex environments.
The VSM provides a model for understanding the structure and functions of viable organizations.
Testimonials
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Matvei „That’s a cool test 😊 I have made 87,5%. Some questions are tricky – good to reflect and to learn 👍“
Wolfgang „I’m lovin it. I thank you very much for your commitment!“
Mihail „Thanks! Learning everyday. Today 90%. :)“
Benjamin „I like“
Alexander „Thanx. Made my day 😅“
Bülent „Cool quiz, thanks 🙌“
Florian “I love the vsm“
Rodrigo „Was unsure about some questions (like the checking all the boxes) but it was fun, thank you!“
Daniel „That‘s realy a cool test. unexpected 90%. 😁 thank you very much for the test.“
Daan „90%… got a few wrong there but still pleased.“
Andreas „I am delighted to share with you that SCiO has confirmed my knowledge of Stefford Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM) with a 100% 🕺 🍾 🎉 test score.“
Elias “Thank you very much for the test. A good challenge to (re)think about the VSM and a comprehensive start into the VSM world. Highly recommended to all!”
Markus „The VSM Guide is a handy and practical tool, similar in structure to the Scrum Guide but with much more content.“
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Jan „ For those familiar with the Viable System Model (VSM), here’s a playful opportunity to test your knowledge.“
Cybernetics for resilient and sustainable economy and societyOur members combine systemic perspectives from science and practice. Our discourses face the challenges of a sustainable, innovative and resilient living and working environment.About Managerial and Social Cybernetics (WiSo-Cybernetics)
The Leviathan of organization must not swallow the individual without sealing its own inevitable doom. (Ludwig v. Bertalanffy)
Join the dialogue
The GWS e.V. is committed to the exchange of new systemic perspectives in business, politics and society. Use the following options to interact with us or contact us directly.
GWS Society sees itself as a community that is committed to the further development and application of systems thinking in all its facets. Read more about the Society’s goals and activities.
GWS e.V. is committed to the training and continued education of managers in business, politics and administration with a view to solving complex problems. The members of the society combine expertise in many application areas.
The GWS brings together works from the circle of members and peer groups of WiSo cybernetics in science and practice. The journal »Collective Intelligence Letters«, which is currently being founded, offers an insight into current research.
Bring your questions to a workshop or a conference of the GWS. You will meet the members of the GWS at various events in research and practice, which cover the entire range of current issues in business, politics and society. Our event calendar provides an overview.
This website enables GWS experts to report on their activities, projects and publications. Read more about practical applications of WiSo cybernetics and insights from research here.
Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialkybernetik e.V.GWS – Society for Managerial and Social Cybernetics
SCiO organises Open Meetings to provide opportunities for practitioners to learn and develop new practice, to build relationships, networks hear about skills, tools, practice and experiences. This all-day session will be held in central London at the Conway Hall.
09:30 – Introduction to Systemic Intervention (pre-event) – Simon MacCormac
10:00 – Welcome, SCiO notices and community exercise
10:45 – What’s Stopping Us Stopping Climate Change? – Ed Straw
11:45 – Break
12:15 – Viability of Alternative Food Systems – Lesley Rowan & Tony Korycki
13:15- Lunch Break
14:30 – How to transform organisations by Managing Tensions not People – Russ Lewis
15:30 – Break
16:00 – Modelling Business Ecosystems – Patrick Hoverstadt
The operations of the world are dominated by two artificial human creations: corporations and states. Corporations mostly operate according to the precepts of the global monetary system and neoliberal economics, where money is all and the environment an externality. States attempt regulation for the latter, but are neutered by the system of preferential lobbying. Despite wetter and hotter warnings, these systems continue on a classic reinforcing loop. COPs are copouts with the artefacts of targets, pledges and PR, alongside the hope actions of EVs, renewables and recycling. These systems have to be reinvented but within the context of the absolute of the biosphere. It is the ultimate boundary condition. This talk will propose the second order systems of governing changes to break out of the loop
Russ presents the findings from his doctoral research into managers as agents of change across large organisations. Essentially, the five behaviours that update the role of the manager from guardian of a resource (project, team, or department) to transformer of the system. How would their bosses measure that, you may ask. The answer is ‘ambidexterity’ – being good at both exploring new knowledge andrunning the business as usual (BAU). Historically separated (think R&D vs Production), these activities are more likely to coexist today since output is digital or knowledge-based and changes very quickly. By focusing on the tensions in their context, managers are achieving the seemingly impossible – adaptable efficiency and efficient adaptability.
Forming alternatives to established economic, technological or political systems, whatever their composition of organisations or institutions, can be difficult, and such alternatives can be susceptible or vulnerable to the ‘establishment’. This presentation explores how we can use the Viable System Model as a diagnostic, from data gathered about a number of outsider organisations through dialogue, insider research, or remote research, to evaluate the survivability of an alternative ‘system of interest’ in its direct or wider environment.
Patrick Hoverstadt will talk about modelling business ecosystems. There is a lot of talk about Business Ecosystems, but much of the theory and practice is actually just a reworking and renaming of old supply chain models. We’ll argue that business ecosystems are very like biological ecosystems with the full range of predators, prey, food chains, parasitic behaviour, keystone actors etc. The talk will cover some techniques we have used for modelling eco-systems, some of the uses these model have and walk through some cases from past projects.
[I’d say this is a bit of a curate’s egg. It’s extensive, and free, and brings in several highly rated systems authors to give approachable, light summaries of their methods and approaches. You can see the editorial team here: https://www.scienceopen.com/collection/91ba7261-ecaf-4e92-ab55-2e9cfce483d0 under ‘about the journal’, and under ‘open peer review’ can see their ‘unusual’ peer review process]
They say:
This Handbook details the theory and practice of Systems Thinking in the areas of social systems, management, and policy. The contributing chapters from numerous authors show the diversity of the field, and this first chapter seeks to identify patterns in that diversity to demonstrate an underlying unity among the plurality of methods, approaches and interventions throughout the field.
[A relatively off-the-cuff podcast and although ostensibly for ‘safety professionals’, I think the discussion of ‘graceful extensibility’ and its balanced with ‘prevention’ and ‘control’ is valuable for everyone]
PAPod 486 – One More Discussion of Fatal Events – and this is just for us
From Versailles to Cybernetics (in English with English subtitles)
On this Sunday, while it is not quite spring yet, if you have a little time to listen, check this lecture out.
You may remember it as a chapter from Steps To and Ecology of Mind. I found this version on youtube. This talk by my dad is one of the most important for the present times, when selling out everyone and everything is justified by the right of profit. The pain of loss of trustworthiness in communication has historical shadows that run long. As the honor of communication erodes, the logic of manipulation and zero sum games becomes normalized as “how life is.”
The aftermath of deception since the fateful Treaty of Versalles is an illustration of systemic ripples into the future of communication since then. Did you know….?
Lesley Rowan
Tony Korycki
Systems Community of Inquiry 
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