1
Introduction to Systems Science

1.1 Foreword

1.1.1 The Book

This book describes the fundamental principles of systems science and how engineers, engineering students, and other scholars can put its concepts into practical use at work and in their personal lives. Systems science1 is an interdisciplinary field that studies the foundation of systems in nature and society. It suggests that the universe is composed of systems or systems of systems, all of which possess common intrinsic attributes.

Along this line, systems science aims to determine systemic similarities among different disciplines (e.g., engineering, physics, biology, economics, mathematics) and to develop valuable models that apply to many fields of study. The advantage of this approach is that people, and in our case, engineers, can obtain answers to problems by studying and adopting ideas from different domains.

Engineers often seek speedy solutions to technical problems within a relatively restricted mindset. Under this ethos, engineers can be proud of many achievements throughout history. However, this book provides engineers with powerful means to enhance their professional and personal abilities by utilizing holistic and multidisciplinary elements inherent in systems science theory.

The book identifies 10 fundamental systems science principles that open engineers’ horizons to various domains from which they can conclude practical insights about their areas of interest. For example, one systems science fundamental principle deals with interactions between different systems. Consider an engineer who examines a particular interface within a technical system. He may embrace a holistic view in his system design by adopting biological interactions among species. Researchers in biology recognize six types of relationships (i.e., competition, predation, herbivory, mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism). Thus, by adopting ideas from biology, this engineer can open his design to many creative opportunities.

In brief, this book expresses complex ideas related to holistic and interdisciplinary learning in a concise and easy-to-grasp manner with many examples and graphics. As a result, the book opens new perspectives and provides practical guidance to engineers and scholars wishing to implement systems science concepts.

1.1.2 The Overall Structure of the Book

Figure 1.1 depicts the book’s overall structure, consisting of the front matter, the main book’s body, and the back matter.

Figure 1.1 Overall structure of the book.

1.1.3 The Structure of the Book’s Main Body

Figure 1.2 depicts the structure of the main body of the book. It is divided into four parts as follows:

• Part 1: Facets of Systems Science and Engineering

• Part 2: Holistic Systems Design

• Part 3: Global Environment and Energy: Crisis and Action Plan

• Part 4: More Systems Science for Engineers and Scholars

Figure 1.2 Structure of the book’s main body.

1.1.3.1 Part 1: Facets of Systems Science and Engineering

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Systems Science. This chapter provides a preface to the book, followed by a discussion of humanity’s challenges. It then briefly encapsulates systems science and describes early systems pioneers. Finally, this chapter presents some criticisms of systems science and relevant responses.

• Chapter 2: Principles of Systems Science (Part I). This chapter and the next one define the 10 fundamental systems science principles. For clarity, these principles are presented in two chapters. This chapter describes the following principles: (1) universal context, (2) boundary, (3) hierarchy, (4) interactions, and (5) change. Numerous examples describe each principle.

• Chapter 3: Principles of Systems Science (Part II). This chapter describes the following principles: (6) input/output, (7) complexity, (8) control, (9) evolution, and (10) emergence. Again, numerous examples describe each principle.

• Chapter 4: Systems Thinking. This chapter discusses the fundamental concepts of systems thinking and the iceberg model of systems thinking. It then explores systems thinking as a system in its own right. Finally, the chapter elaborates on various barriers to systems thinking and describes early systems thinking pioneers.

• Chapter 5: Systems Engineering. This chapter brings forth illuminating ideas on the philosophy of engineering. It then describes systems engineering concepts, culminating in systems engineering deficiencies, systems’ pathologies, and infamous engineered systems failures and disasters.

• Chapter 6: Comparative Analysis - Two Domains. This chapter presents a comparative analysis of biological versus engineered systems. The analysis emanates from one of systems science’s promises to transcend disciplines by obtaining knowledge about less-known domains utilizing analogies from well-known domains.

1.1.3.2 Part 2: Holistic Systems Design

• Chapter 7: Holistic Systems Context. This chapter provides a holistic description of the systems context, which is, by definition, the environment of a system of interest (SoI). A more holistic view of systems contexts recognizes that the broad environment of SOIs has myriad and settled influences over SOIs. Many spectacular engineering failures can be traced to systems whose designers ignored such consequences. Thus, this chapter covers renewed thinking about the systems context and its components.

• Chapter 8: Example: UAV System of Interest (SoI). This chapter and the following two chapters elucidate the concept of holistic systems contexts. This chapter provides a compressive example of an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system of interest (SoI). The UAV description focuses on the 10 systems science fundamental principles: universal context, boundary, hierarchy, interactions, change, input/output, complexity, control, evolution, and emergence.

• Chapter 9: Example: UAV Context (Part I). This chapter illuminates the holistic nature of SoI context issues through the UAV system described earlier. Specific topics related to the UAV systems context are presented in two chapters. First, this chapter describes the following UAV system contexts: (1) natural systems, (2) social systems, (3) research systems, (4) formation systems, (5) sustainment systems, (6) business systems, and (7) commercial systems.

• Chapter 10: Example: UAV Context (Part II). This chapter continues to illuminate the holistic nature of SoI context issues through the UAV system described earlier. This chapter describes the following UAV system contexts: (8) financial systems, (9) political systems, (10) legal systems, (11) cultural systems, and (12) biosphere systems.

1.1.3.1 Part 3: Global Environment and Energy: Crisis and Action Plan

• Chapter 11: Global Environment Crisis. Nowadays, humanity faces many global predicaments. One of the most challenging, systemic global issues is the environmental crisis. This chapter describes and systemically analyzes it. This analysis includes past and present global transformation and the crisis’ environmental predicament.

• Chapter 12: Systemic Environment Action Plan. Currently, little is being done about the environmental problem. However, this indifferent attitude will change drastically as life on this planet becomes more and more unbearable for more and more people. Then governments, environmental scientists, engineers, and the public will unite in carrying out measures to combat global environmental threats to the human species. This chapter provides a systemic action plan for this massive ecological threat to humankind. This plan includes sustaining the Earth’s system and sustaining human society.

• Chapter 13: Global Energy Crisis. As mentioned before, humanity faces many global predicaments. The second most challenging systemic global issue is the global energy crisis. This chapter describes and systemically analyzes the global energy crisis. This description includes the current global energy status, energy return on investment (EROI), and the effect of renewable energy systems.

• Chapter 14: Systemic Energy Action Plan. This chapter provides a systemic action plan for the global energy crisis. This description includes a discussion regarding the global energy dilemma and what can be done about renewable energy, fossil energy, and fission reaction energy. In addition, the chapter describes short-term future energy, including small modular reactors (SMR), and long-term future energy, including nuclear fusion.

1.1.3.2 Part 4: More Systems Science for Engineers and Scholars

• Chapter 15: Engineering and Systemic Psychology. This chapter provides systemic links between key psychological features in systems engineering. In particular, it describes schema theory and cognitive biases, which sometimes lead to failed design, building, or systems operations. This linkage is illustrated by several spectacular systems failures, including the Bay of Pigs fiasco (1961), the disastrous 747 collision at Tenerife (1977), the space shuttle Columbia disaster (2003),...