Abstract
An example of how a complex modern problem for humankind can be considered in terms of systems science should help in understanding how the principles introduced in Chap. 1 can be applied. Drug-resistant tuberculosis has become a threat brought on by our very use of antibiotics and the power of evolution to select more fit bacteria strain—fit that is to not be affected adversely by antibiotics originally developed by humans to kill them and prevent disease. This chapter lays out the complexity of the problem and examines its facets through the lenses of the principles.
If a problematic situation is to be resolved, the variety available to the designer of a means of resolving the situation must have controlling access to the same variety as that found in the situation.
John N. Warfield , 2006
In complex situations, decision makers are not presented with problems and alternative solutions. Decision makers must search for problems, as well as solutions…
Kaye Remington and Julien Pollack, 2012
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Notes
- 1.
See Tuberculosis: Society and Culture. wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis#Society_and_culture.
- 2.
Katsnelson (2011).
- 3.
On the intersection of global and national economics on the health of the poor, see especially Kim et al. (2000).
- 4.
For an excellent overview of the situation and suggested measures to encourage renewed efforts in research and development of antibacterials from the point of view of the biomedical industry, see Gollaher and Milner (2012).
- 5.
For a graphic series portraying this process, see Rockefeller University’s TB Infection Timeline. rockefeller.edu/pubinfo/tbanim.swf.
- 6.
For an example of these dynamics close to home, see the case discussion of NAFTA and the factory system established on the US-Mexico border in Brenner et al. (2000).
Bibliography and Further Reading
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Ashby WR (1958) Requisite variety and its implications for the control of complex systems. Cybernetica 1(2):83–99, Available online: http://medicinaycomplejidad.org/pdf/soporte/ashbyreqvar.pdf
Brenner J et al (2000) Neoliberal trade and investment and the health of Maquiladora workers on the U.S.-Mexico border. In: Kim JY et al (eds) Dying for growth: global inequality and the health of the poor. Common Courage, Monroe, ME, pp 261–290
Cooper R (2012) The battle to discover new antibiotics. The Telegraph,12 Jan 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/pharmaceuticalsandchemicals/9010738/The-battle-to-discover-new-antibiotics.html. Accessed 13 Sept 2013
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Gollaher DL, Milner PG (2012) Promoting antibiotic discovery and development. California Healthcare Institute. chi.org/uploadedFiles/Industry_at_a_glance/CHI Antibiotic White Paper_FINAL.pdf. Accessed 20 May 2014
Katsnelson A (2011) How microbes train our immune system. Nature, 21 September 2011. nature.com/news/2011/110921/full/news.2011.550.html. Accessed 5 Oct 2012
Kim JY et al (eds) (2000) Dying for growth: global inequality and the health of the poor. Common Courage, Monroe, ME
Remington K, Pollack J (2012) Complexity, decision-making and requisite variety. http://www.elefsis.org/Complexity_Decisionmaking_and_Requisite_Variety_Remington . Accessed 17 May 2014
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Warfield JN (2006) An introduction to systems science. World Scientific, London
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Mobus, G.E., Kalton, M.C. (2015). Systems Principles in the Real World: Understanding Drug-Resistant TB. In: Principles of Systems Science. Understanding Complex Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1920-8_2
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