Copyright: Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science
Since we had a closer look at the beginnings of Cybernetics with regard to the Macy Conferences a couple of weeks ago, we now contribute this blogpost to Systems Theory, its history and background especially with regard to the pioneer in this area of research, Ludwig von Bertalanffy.
(This post serves more as a collection of public online resources for further reading rather than trying to give a holistic historical picture of Systems Theory and Systems Research itself.)
Ludwig von Bertalanffy was an Austrian-born biologist and system theorist, who left behind a precious legacy: a new way of “seeing” and thinking that he called General Systems Theory.
- Some information on Ludwig von Bertalanffy, the founder of the General Systems Theory, from which Systems Theory as we know it today emerged, provided by the International Society for the Systems Sciences.
- This is a section on the website of the BCSSS that gives an overview of General System Theory, Systems Theory, the Nature of Systems and the Systems Movement.
- A paper on his life and background.
- Here is brilliant post appreciating Ludwig von Bertalanffy and his work, calling him a ‘neglected genius and one of the greatest scientists’.
- In case you would like to dive even more into Ludwig von Bertalanffy, here is a book about him.
On the history of Systems Theory:
- Alexander Laszlo compiled a manuscript about the origins and development of Systems Theories. You can download it here.
- This blogpost by a scholar from Japan is a brief history of Systems Theory.
- “The History and Status of General Systems Theory” is a journal article by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy from 1972 in The Academy of Management Journal.
Do you know of more links to valuable online resources? Please share with us in the comments!
