Society for General Systems Research
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The Society for General Systems Research is a society for research and development of systems science, which aimed to overcoming the growing isolation of specialized disciplines.
The society was launched in 1954 under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science as the "Society for the Advancement of General Systems Theory". In 1956 it was formally established as the "Society for General Systems Research" and in 1988 to International Society for the Systems Sciences.[1]
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[edit] Overview
The Society for General Systems Research was founded by the biologists Ludwig von Bertalanffy and Ralph Gerard, the economist Kenneth Boulding, as well as the mathematician Anatol Rapoport. This society has aimed at overcoming the growing isolation of specialized disciplines. The discourse following this transdisciplinary effort successively led to remarkable achievements by asscociates and colleagues, usually based on connecting illuminating methaphors with rigorous scientific analysis. It's purpose was[2]:
- to investigate the isomorphy of concepts, laws, and models in various fields, and to help in useful transfers from one field to another;
- to encourage the development of adequate theoretical models in areas which lack them;
- to eliminate the duplication of theoretical efforts in different fields; and
- to promote the unity of science through improving the communication among specialists.
The most famous product of the Society was its General Systems Yearbook, which collects together significant papers, often originally published in journals of a wide variety of disciplines. The frontiers of on-going research and scientific findings are represented in the annual meetings proceedings, which where organized around a specific topic each year. Periodical articles were published in the Societies journal Behavioral Science. Additional "The Bulletin" added with regional and thematic publications.[3]
[edit] History
The Society was initially conceived as "Society for the Advancement of General Systems Theory" in 1954 at the Stanford Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Kenneth Boulding, Ralph Gerard, and Anatol Rapoport. It was incorporated in Michigan in 1955.
The story goes that in the fall of 1954 the four of them where sitting around a lunch table one day [4] and it became clear that they all converging on something like general systems from different directions. Bertalanffy's thoughts certainly seeming to be the most advanced. Somebody said "Let's form a society."
At the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting that year in December in Berkeley, they called a meeting. Some seventy people came and there was a lot of enthusiasm. From that day, the society became active. The following year Boulding, Gerard and Rapoport joined with James Grier Miller at the University of Michigan, and from there the Society got underway.
In 1971 the Society had 1100 individual and 6 institutional members, and a membership in some societies affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[5]
[edit] Presidents
Presidents:[6]
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[edit] Other SGSR members
Other initial SGSR members in 1956/57, a selection:
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[edit] References
- ^ SGSR History at nndb.com.
- ^ Origin and Purpose of the ISSS | International Society for the Systems Sciences
- ^ Kjell Samuelson (1977). "General Systems". In: Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology: Volume 8. Edited by Jack Belzer and others. CRC Press 1977.
- ^ Kenneth E. Boulding (1983). "Introduction". In: Uncommon Sense, by Mark Davidson, Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, 1983, p.19.
- ^ National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) (1971). Scientific, technical and related societies of the United States. 9th edition. National academy of sciences, 1971. ISBN 0309018609. p.171
- ^ Board of Directors | International Society for the Systems Sciences
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