Norms, processes, oprations, methods

DAVID CHAPMAN

MAR 9, 2024

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.

Meta-rational practices: Overview 1 – by David Chapman

System Dynamics Society

🌟 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. ✨

Learn more about her work and be inspired by her wisdom.
📗 Thinking in Systems: A Primer: https://ow.ly/tUsS50QOCx9
📙 Beyond the Limits: https://ow.ly/eA2J50QOCx2
📘 Limits to Growth: A 30-Year Update: https://ow.ly/1SaI50QOCx3

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.

🔗 See compilation: https://ow.ly/z5eb50QOCx4

#SystemDynamics #systemsthinking #InternationalWomensDay

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John L Jerz Website II Copyright (c) 2015Brain of the Firm (Beer, 1972)

Brain of the Firm (Beer, 1972)

https://johnljerz.com/superduper/tlxdownloadsiteWEBSITEII/id508.html

Similar treatment given to lots of other interesting complexity-related books (and others) here:

https://johnljerz.com/superduper/tlxdownloadsiteWEBSITEII/id3.html

• Daren Pickles

• FAH School of Media and Performing Arts

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.

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)

Cybernetics in Music — Coventry University

https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/cybernetics-in-music

Herber:

by KEVIN MUNGER on SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

The Tragedy of Stafford Beer — Crooked Timber

Systemic Inquiry: Innovations in Systemic Practitioner Research.
Gail Simon & Alex Chard (Eds.)
https://lnkd.in/dN8xxxkZ
 
Systemic Therapy as Transformative Practice.
Imelda McCarthy & Gail Simon (Eds.)
https://lnkd.in/di9wr35F
 
Towards a New ‘Fluid’ Common-Sense Understanding of Relational Becomings.
John Shotter
https://lnkd.in/dwUiGFfG
 
A Wild Impatience. Critical Systemic Practice and Research.
Gail Simon
https://lnkd.in/d2Ft3TSh
 
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
 
http://eicpress.com

(26) Post | Feed | LinkedIn

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[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 

Carola „I really like the “extended” version. There are some very challenging questions in it. 95 Percent 😉“

Martin „Great questionnaire. I had 90% and – as always – learned by my failures😉“

Ilia „Love this“

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.“

Martin „😀 Now … this was fun! 🥇“

Jan „ For those familiar with the Viable System Model (VSM), here’s a playful opportunity to test your knowledge.“

https://www.systemspractice.org/thevsmtest

• About us
• Dialogue
• Collective Intelligence Letters
• Contact

• 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.

What problems does WiSo cybernetics deal with?

Read here what WiSo cybernetics can do for you. Promoting interest in cybernetics, especially among young people, is a major task of the society.

What does GWS do?

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.

How can I use WiSo cybernetics for myself?

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.

How can I contribute?

Exchange of information and experience is the basis of our society. Participate in a project or initiative carried out in society.

How can I use the knowledge of GWS Society?

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.

How do I get in touch with the members personally?

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.

Read the blog posts of the GWS members here (usually, posts are in German language)

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

Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialkybernetik e.V. – GWS – Society for Managerial and Social Cybernetics

https://gws-kybernetik.org/en

Journal:

https://ci-letters.org/index.php/ojs-ci/about

SCiO UK Face-to-Face Open Meeting – March 2024

Are you a practicing systems thinker? 

Would you like to meet up, network and learn at the same time? 

The first 2024 face-to-face SCiO Open Day is happening very soon in London,

18th March,

9:30am-5:00pm

at the Conway Hall, London, WC1R 4RL

               so why not come along! 

Book now

About this Event

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

            17:00 – Later in the Bar social

Details

What’s Stopping Us Stopping Climate Change? – a Systems Thinking answer

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

.  Ed Straw

How to Transform Organisations by Managing Tensions, not People

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.

 Russ Lewis

The Viability of ‘Alternative’ Systems

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.

  Lesley Rowan                     Tony Korycki       

Modelling Business Ecosystems

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.

  Patrick Hoverstadt

SCiO UK Face-to-Face Open Meeting – March 2024 | SCiO

https://www.systemspractice.org/events/scio-uk-face-face-open-meeting-march-2024

[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.

Publications – The Handbook of Systems Thinking – ScienceOpen

https://www.scienceopen.com/search#collection/4afbd5c3-ca08-405f-89cd-9f919db2c8e8

February 26, 2024by MattLloyd

Do Humans Dream of Analogue Sheep?February 26, 2024by MattLloyd

Do Humans Dream of Analogue Sheep? – Systems Soundbites

[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

PAPod 486 – One More Discussion of Fatal Events – and this is just for us. | PreAccident Investigation Podcast

https://preaccidentpodcast.podbean.com/e/papod-486-one-more-discussion-of-fatal-events-and-this-is-just-for-us

Gregory Bateson – From Versalles to Cybernetics (1966) – YouTube

On Facebook, Nora Bateson shared:

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….?

Communication is Sacred. It matters.

Fernando E. Rosas, Bernhard C. Geiger, Andrea I Luppi, Anil K. Seth, Daniel Polani, Michael Gastpar, Pedro A.M. Mediano