The Emerging Consensus in Social Systems Theory

Citation

Hutton, D.M. (2002), "The Emerging Consensus in Social Systems Theory", Kybernetes, Vol. 31 No. 3/4. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2002.06731cae.004

The Emerging Consensus in Social Systems Theory

Kenneth C. BauschKluwer Academic/Plenum PublishersNew York – London – Moscow2001i-xxvi – 419 pp.ISBN 0-306-46539-6USD – 69.50 /EUR – 79.95 /GBP – 49.50

Keywords: Publication, Cybernetics, Social Systems, Sytems Theory

It is said that this book "will become the bible" in social systems theory (Professor Filion, University of Mon Real Business School), "a lucid account of modern systems" (Hector Sabelli, Director of the Chicago Centre for Creative Development) and "this book does not produce a metanarrative for our post modern age -it does, however, reveal the terrain upon which such a narrative will run" (Bela H. Banathy, President of the International Systems Institute and Alexander Christakis President of CWA Ltd in the book's Forward.)

These are worthy recommendations from distinguished people, but then buying a book is very much a personal matter. Do we want the text to learn more about Social Systems? Are we looking for a reference text or are we seeking a "course text"? This book we are told provides in its Parts 1-4 all of these things.

It is both comprehensive in its coverage and still, in under 500 pages, provides excellent detail. Not much in the field is left out and the author, we are informed, in the course of some 40 years of inquiry into the human condition has delved intensively into philosophy, orthodox theology, Eastern religions social and political ideology, psychology, and systems theory. It is clear from the book that the author, by adapting the methodology of interactive management, has synthesized the thought of such major systemic thinkers as Habermas, Lumann and many others. There are five discernible areas into which he has concentrated these thoughts; the practice and ethics of design; the structure of the social world, communication, cognition; epistemology.

We are also informed that in deciding to purchase this text "the choices are straight forward: invest a few years trolling the philosophy, sociology, and systemic theory sections in the library; or read the coherent perspective offered". That is the opinion of David Ing of the TBM AdvanceBusiness Institute who also adds that it is a "masterful synthesis of social theory in a systemic framework" and that "the breadth of his (Bausch) understanding of social theory and systemic theory is impressive".

On a less profound note the book is undoubtedly well structured with a useful and revealing introduction that leads into Part One – Background; Part two – Incorporating Human Participation into Systems Theory and Design; Part Three – Advances in the area of Social, Cognitive and Evolutionary Theory (includes four chapters on Luhmann; one each on Kampis and Goertze I) and finally Part Four – Five emerging Synthesis. This completes the five contexts that the author says "grew out of my fascination with applying systems theory to social processes"

(See also Book Reports – Kybernetes Vol. 31 No. 1, 2002)

D.M. Hutton