On Some Open Issues in Systemics

Abstract

The purpose of this contribution is to list some current, advanced systemic issues whilst searching for suitable, possibly theoretical, approaches. As is well known the peculiar aspect characterizing systemics is considered to be the process of acquisition, by collective interactive, interrelated constitutive elements, of properties different than those of the constituent elements themselves. We consider whether the peculiarity of acquiring a property is attributable only to systems, that is, to their processes of interaction among their constituent elements. We consider some elementary examples where the mechanism seems to be different, such as capillarity, composition of properties, density variations, optical properties, percolation, phase transitions, Quantum Field Theory, and the sloppiness of models. The mystical expression “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” could be dealt with in different ways, even within the constructivist role of the observer. We consider how some current systemic issues could take advantage of the adoption of new unconventional approaches, such as the ability to act on phenomena of emergence; the need to have suitable network representations for some primary systemic properties, e.g., adaptation and logical openness; theory-less systems based on concordances in Big Data (are they still systems?); incompleteness and quasi-systems. We consider the difficulties in applying systemic approaches to human societies which may often not be reducible to social systems.