A System of Systems Approaches

Almost every field in the sciences and in the humanities is influenced by the systems movement, and many systems approaches have been suggested within the different disciplines, MS/OR included. Some authors stress their own versions of the systems approach and ignore the manifold variety of others. In contrast, I plead for a methodological pluralism of systems approaches. To serve this purpose, I present a typology of four systems approaches, each one in a dialogue between a master and a scholar: (1) the introspection of analytic reduction, (2) the extraspection of synthetic integration, (3) the construction of creative design, and (4) the contemplation of holistic meditation.