DARRELL P. ARNOLD (ED.), TRADITIONS OF THEORY. MAJOR FIGURES AND CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS, LONDON/NEW YORK, ROUTLEDGE, 2014.

Mark Losoncz

“There is absolutely no knowing what may others) and further contemporary devel- yet become part of history. The past is still opments (such as systems heuristics and perhaps essentially undiscovered! There is evolutionary cultural ecology). yet so many retroactive forces still needed!”, In his introductory article to Part I, Dar- Nietzsche writes in one of his aphorisms. rell P. Arnold emphasizes that Bertalanffy In effect, this is the project realized by the was inclined to integrate the sciences into book Traditions of . It is one megasystem. According to Arnold, de- not a coincidence that the editor’s intro- spite the failure of these immodest aspira- ductory article in Part I is entitled Systems tions, systems theory became very signifi- Theory: A Secret History of the Twentieth cant, even in fields in which its influence Century. Indeed, it is suggested that there mostly remained hidden (as in the case of is a somewhat veiled intellectual history holistic ecological thinking). Furthermore, that needs to be reconstructed carefully. Arnold compares certain systems theo- , one of the found- retical insights to contemporary posthu- ers of general systems theory has already manist (and transhumanist) constructivism claimed that the works of many thinkers and concludes that “we don’t get at the might be reinterpreted as systems theory world directly or fully but only indirectly avant la lettre, including those of Nicho- and incompletely, within the parameters las of Cusa, Paracelsus, Leibniz, Vico, Ibn of a particular , with all that sys- Khaldun, Goethe, Whitehead and others. tem’s limitations” (p. 13). Obviously, this This time the explicit systems theories of is an essential counterpoint to the origi- the twentieth century themselves are re- nal ambitions of Bertalanffy. In Chapter read as very important but mostly unac- 2, Philipp Schweighauser summarizes the knowledged achievements. Accordingly, conceptual results of information theory the analyses of the early, usually forgot- with a special emphasis on the problem of ten developments are especially valuable. informational entropy, noise and seman- This volume refers to systems theory as tics. Schweighauser points out not only comprehensively as possible – “systems that Shannon’s information theory faced theory” embraces not only the various many challenges, especially with regard to ramifications of general systems theory meaning and its distortions, but he also re- and , but also dynamic systems constructs the persistence of information theory (as developed by and theory in different theoretical approaches, 458 │ PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIETY, VOL. 29, NO. 3 including the technology-centred, postan- (de-substantialization, holism, relationism, thropocentric theories of culture (as elab- constructivism, etc.). Although Pouvreau orated, for instance, by Friedrich Kittler) does not spend much time on convincing and the aesthetic theories of Jacques Attali, us with regard to the adequacy of the ex- Michel Serres and William R. Paulson. In pression “hermeneutics” in this context, Chapter 3, Ranulph Glanville’s article on he accurately demonstrates the relevance cybernetics insists, in a ventourous man- of the symbolic sphere for Bertalanffy’s ner, that “cybernetics seems to be more perspective. It is particularly inspiring to general, more philosophical, and more follow Bertalanffy’s vacillation between abstract than systems theory” (p. 47). Re- realist and constructivist philosophical gardless of this disputable thesis, Glanville positions. What is more, Pouvreau also reconstructs the main achievements of cy- takes into consideration the axiological, bernetics cautiously and with precision. It praxeological and technological aspects is of great importance that he questions of general systemology. In the following the pertinence of the distincion between chapter, Bernhard Pörksen discusses the first-order and second-order cybernetics, epistemologically inspiring constructivism given the fact that the observer was of- of . As Pörksen puts it, ten included already in the early work of “with second-order cybernetics comes the . However, it does not fol- obligation to be conscious of one’s own low that Glanville neglects the significant idiosyncrasies and blind spots, to link ob- changes within cybernetics, on the con- jects to oneself, and to understand them trary, he stresses e.g. the transformations seriously as one’s own product” (p. 139). with regard to the concept of error or the In addition, Pörksen treats ethics as a key attempt of the cybernetics of cybernetics question for constructivist-cybernetic an- to make the field self-consistent and ap- thropology, with special attention to the ply the system to itself. John Bruni’s very challenge of undecidability and incalcula- short article (it consists of four and a half bility. The epistemological (and ontolog- pages), entitled Expanding the Self-Refer- ical) issues are also a central focus in Bob ential Paradox. The Macy Conferences and Mugerauer’s article Maturana and Varela. the Second Wave of Cybernetic Thinking, de- From Autopoiesis to Systems Applications. scribes the Macy Conferences as a decisive Mugerauer is careful to mention the most catalyst for second-order systems theory. significant divergences between Maturana One can find many exciting allusions, for and Varela. For instance, whereas Matura- instance, when Bruni writes that, according na defines organizational closure and the to Wiener’s pivotal intuition, “systems rad- stability of homeostasis as the decisive as- ically destabilize self-identity, that is, they pect of autopoiesis, Varela claims that the disturb the idea of the corporeal body as a emphasis should be put on structural cou- grounding for subjectivity” (p. 81). Unfor- pling. Mugeauer also gives importance to tunately, even this remark remains a mere ethical questions, within the context of a hint. Bruni’s extremely brief article can be practical know-how and our “situated em- contrasted to the 53-page-long, profound bodiment”. The detailed interpretations article written by David Pouvreau, The Her- of evolutionary theory, immunology and meneutical System of General Systemology. neurophenomenology will be of great help Bertalanffian and Other Early Contribu- for readers unfamiliar with Maturana’s and tions to Its Foundations and Development. Varela’s theory. In the final article of Part I, Pouvreau defines Bertalanffy’s theory as Joel B. Hagen covers Eugene Odum’s thesis a philosophical (however, anti-specula- on the homeostatic . This arti- tive, “inductively metaphysical”) syste- cle is by far the most critical with the ob- mology and, accordingly, gives empha- ject of its analysis, in accordance with the sis to the philosophical (e.g. neo-Kantian controversies around Odum’s suggestion and process-philosophical) sources of sys- that have to be conceptualized tems theory and its conceptual decisions as some kind of balanced superorganisms. REVIEWS / PRIKAZI │ 459

With an eye on both pro and contra argu- the theories of N. Katherine Hayles, Cary ments, Hagen managed to summarize one Wolfe, and Bruce Clark. He suggests that a of the most interesting debates in systems fusion of systems approaches and the the- theory and cybernetics in a nutshell. ories of posthumanism, media and mass Part II focuses on the sociological im- culture is not only possible but highly de- plications of systems theory, including Tal- sirable. Chapter 13, Systems Heuristics and cott Parsons’ sociological theory of action Digital Culture, by Raphael Sassower and systems, Luhmann’s theory of complex Nimrod Bar-Am, unnecessarily repeats cer- systems and world-systems theory. Betti- tain unargued commonplaces with regard na Mahler’s chapter draws up the devel- to (anti-)reductionism, the overcoming of opment of Parsons’ structural functional- the paradigm of the “clock” and the still ism from his early voluntaristic theory of prevalent Smithian ideal of laissez-faire. social action. Moreover, Mahler contrasts The article becomes more meaningful Parsonsian systems theory with Immanu- when it introduces the problem of com- el Wallerstein’s world-systems theory and plexity, interconnection and joint/crowd Luhmann’s sociology. Luhmann’s somewhat intelligence. The authors convincingly ambivalent realist constructivism is more argue that the concept of the digital-stig- detailedly presented in the following article mergic-human system is one of the most written by Walter Reese-Schäfer. What is promising contemporary developments unique about this article is that it does not in systems theory. Unfortunately, in Peter hesitate to deal with the most challenging Finke’s article, A Brief Outline of Evolu- and speculative problems of Luhmannian tionary Cultural Ecology, cultural ecology theory, including that of the observer’s par- appears merely as a floating and vague ap- adoxical self-observation as reflection, the proach, without a satisfying clarification re-entry of the differentiation between sys- of its historical development and key ex- tem and environment within the system or ponents – these information might be re- the exclusively recursive possibility of the constructed only partially, with the help world. Mahler brilliantly articulates even of the notes. The article contains certain the uncommonly complicated concepts and inspiring remarks (e.g. on the typology of suceeds in demonstrating the radicality of information cycles), however, it still re- Luhmann’s de-substantializing and de-sub- mains an unfinished draft. In Chapter 15, jectivizing theoretical project. In Chapter Prigogine. The Interplay of Cosmos, Com- 11, W.L. Goldfrank explores the politically plexity and Culture, Dorothea Olkowski presumably most loaded branch of systems shows extensively that complexity and theory, namely, Wallerstein’s world-systems might be the most significant analysis. It is worth noting that Goldfrank sequel of systems theory. According to this also takes into consideration the so-called vision, the concepts of time irreversibility, dependency theory and the work of André attractors, bifurcations, far-from-equilib- Gunder Frank. Special attention is given rium and dissipation might renew the way to the processual (and transformational) we used to think about systems. Regret- models of world-systems theory and the tably, the exact relations between “classi- influence of Prigogine’s theory of fluctu- cal” systems theories and Prigogine’s ideas ations and chaotic turbulence. At the end remain unclear. At the end of the article, of the article, Goldfrank also mentions Olkowski discusses the cultural relevance the emancipatory hints of Wallerstein’s of complexity and chaos theory, with spe- theory, with the slogan “Another World cial focus on the feminist interpretations is Possible”. Part III discusses further con- of the “non-treatment” or the demonisa- temporary developments, far beyond the tion of chaos, or of the fascination with early scope of systems theory. In Chapter its images. In Chapter 16, Systems Theo- 12, Andrew McMurry covers some of the ry and Practice in Organizational Change most important applications of systems and Development, Debora Hammond, fol- theory in literary studies, among others, lowing Gareth Morgan and others, rejects 460 │ PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIETY, VOL. 29, NO. 3 the view that organizations can be merely concepts drawn from systems theories (p. “psychic prisons and instruments of dom- 264). While summarizing the article of Ol- inations” (p. 329). Hammond provides the kowski, Arnold claims that “some of the reader an opportunity to gain insight to the basic ideas of chaos and complexity theory origins of management science, the gener- ... in many areas eclipsed original systems al systemological and cybernetic theories theoretical positions” and “dynamic sys- of human systems, critical systems ap- tem model ... is certainly one of the areas proach and soft systems methodology. In in which systems theory is alive” (p. 257). the concluding remark, the author stresses Obviously, the latter remark implies that that the aforementioned approaches lead many other fields of systems theory are “toward the cultivation of ... the capacity already dead, however, it is left uncertain for informed self-organization” (p. 340). which ones. Unfortunately, this obscuri- The book concludes with the transcript ty regarding the current state and validity of a Skype conversation between Nora of systems theory runs through the book. Bateson (the daughter of ) A more detailed view on the institution- and Phillip Guddemi (a former student of al and organizational history of systems Gregory Bateson). theory might be of interest in solving this Before enumerating the undisputable puzzle. Secondly, it is regrettable that sys- positive aspects of the book, we have to tems theory is presented as an intellectual make the following critical remarks. First- project limited to the USA, Germany and ly, pace Hans-Georg Moeller’s laudation, the United Kingdom, that is to say, that Traditions of Systems Theory provides a its non-Western impact is not taken into “state-of-the-art survey” only to a limited account. For instance, systems theory was extent. More precisely, it remains unclari- extremely influential in Eastern Europe, fied how and why the crisis of systems the- especially in Hungary, Poland, Czechoslo- oretical approach began and which syste- vakia and the Soviet Union. Surprisingly, mological insights are to be forgotten from Traditions of Systems Theory mentions the viewpoint of scientific conceptuality the link between systems theories and and heuristics. As Darrell P. Arnold puts Buddhism three times (firstly, Arnold em- it, systems theory “did not live up to the phasizes that cybernetic and systems-the- aspirations” (p. 11), at least not in fitting oretic constructivism is often “Buddhist systems into a megasystem, and “some ver- instrumentalist” in orientation (p. 15); sec- sions have proven rather more speculative ondly, Glanville compares the cybernetic than scientific” (ibid). What is more, Arnold concept of responsiveness and control to adds that “much of the success of systems Buddhist approaches (p. 61); thirdly, in the theory and cybernetics has been because context of Varela’s ethical theory, Muger- of their influences on developments that auer refers to Buddhist views of “no self”, continued without them” (p. 4), but also mindfulness and non-dualism), however, that certain “explicit forms of systems the- this remains an unexplained association. ory and cybernetics do continue and may Furthermore, it is completely incompre- even be undergoing a renewal” (p. 12). In hensible how the phrase “the aggression fact, many authors attempt to identify the of the Islamic civilization” (p. 305) could reasons for which the golden age (“Systems appear in a book like this. Although Pe- Age”) of systems theory has ended or, at ter Finke completes the phrase by adding least, why certain aspirations have been that this aggression “can be understood as left behind. For instance, Pouvreau sug- a reaction to another more subtle aggres- gests that in Bertalanffy’s “own discipline sion”, the phrase is still simply meaning- molecular biology was being strongly pro- less, insulting and unacceptable. Finally, moted, a development rather unfavorable the cybernetics of Gregory Bateson cer- to his systemic biotheory” (p. 122). McMur- tainly deserved an article of its own – an ry also feels himself obligated to explain improvised Skype conversation cannot why literary studies remain disdainful of serve as an adequate substitute. REVIEWS / PRIKAZI │ 461

Given the depth and length of the vol- and scholars. The spirit of Traditions of ume, I have only been able to scratch its Systems Theory is that of conceptual pre- surface in this review. Overall, the editor cision, awareness of the theoretical sourc- Darrell P. Arnold has done an excellent es and revitalization. This is an admirably job. He managed to provide a book sum- well-edited and well-structured book, cre- marizing the very complex field of systems atively blending historical and theoretical theory without needlessly forcing a unified perspectives. It is worth reading for any- all-comprehensive account. The volume one interested in the intellectual history testifies to the amazing richness of a par- of the twentieth century. What this book tially unacknowledged and hidden tradi- strongly confirms is that the tradition of tion and, as such, it is a splendid achieve- systems theory is inevitable for those who ment. It gives a most impressive picture of want to understand the veiled background the myriad forms of this field and might of the way we think today. serve as an excellent resource for students