PHMW Week 4 Systems Thinking

three steps of a function

(input -> process -> output) any function can only process a specific range of inputs, ex. fuel in a car

set theory

A part of mathematical science that deals with sets, or groups of things, and is used as the basis for data manipulation in the relational model, foundation of contemporary mathematics

algorithm

A set of clearly defined, logical steps that solve a problem.

Which of the following is NOT true of the components of a system? a. The components of a system interact in a dynamic fashion. b. The components of a system can be regulated. c. The components of a system only operate one at a time. d. Small changes in one component of a system can have large effects.

C

Causal loop diagram

Diagram representing a closed loop of cause-effect linkages (causal links) which is intended to capture how the variables interrelate

abstraction

Reducing information and detail to focus on essential characteristics.

Analytical thinking is reductionist. True or false

True

Emergence comes from: a. the ways in which parts of a system interact with one another . b. one component of a system being stronger than all of the others. c. interactions within a system where one component cancels out another.

a

elements are arranged in _____

a particular way (organized) to work together

function

a process that transforms energy or resources from one state to another

emergence

a process whereby larger entities, patterns, and regularities arise through interactions among smaller or simpler entities that themselves do not exhibit such properties (ex. hydrogen and oxygen separately are not wet, but when combine make water; tree inanimate molecules arranging to form living systems)

sets can be arranged to become ____

a system

paradigm

a worldview underlining the theory and methodology of a particular scientific subject

phase transition

accelerated period of development (ex. transition between solid and liquid when heated, metamorphosis of butterfly)

Q5 micro or macro level

analysis is focused upon subsystems, systems thinking gives a global view of whole system

stock

any entity that accumulated or decreases over time (store of water)

black box

any system that cannot be directly observed and easily understood, hides complexity of system

bottom-up vs. top-down causality

argument whether it is rules regarding macro-level or micro-level that govern the system as a whole

beyond limits system loses _____

autonomy

systems thinking

characterized by belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole (ex. person is part of greater culture, hard drive is part of computer) tries to understand how parts are arranged and interconnected

_____ is home of reductionism

classical physics

synthesis

combination of elements to form whole

synthesis and analysis are ____

complementary

relation

connection or interaction between components, binds elements into interdependent state, gains and loses become correlated

synergies

constructive relations; interaction between two or more components to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects; interdependence (ex. bee and plant, business merger)

encapsulation

defining different levels of model depending on detail of the system

reductionist paradigm ________ relationships between components.

depromotes, thus system is thought to be nothing more than sum of its parts

interference

destructive relations; combined output is less than sum of parts; prevention of carrying out process or activity (ex. drug interference in treatments, out of sync sound waves cancelling each other out)

______ is home of systems thinking

ecology

4 levels of heirarchy

elements (molecules) -> subsystems (brakes in car) -> system of systems (transportation system) -> systems environment

parts of system are called ___

elements; elements have well-defined boundaries

energy vs. entropy

energy (resource) vs. state of disorder (waste, ex. broken pot)

Analytical thinking always incorporates feedback loops when considering a problem. True or false

false

Systems thinking only considers one component of a problem at a time. True or false

false

boundary filters

filter access to system (electric outlet covers)

Q4 static or dynamic system

focuses on dynamics, sees development and evolution as important phenomena

Q2 degree of connectivity

how are things interrelated?

open system

interact and exchange resources through permeable boundaries (ex. hospital: receiving and discharging patients, employees come and go, resources come in and out)

systems boundary

limit to system's processes, internal to which it has integrity, integrity gives system autonomy (ex. leaves are dependent on rest of tree, but independent from a different tree's leaves)

Q3 linear cause and effect

linear thinking, cause and effect, events are product of complex interacting of parts that are cyclical with feedback loops

processes are not necessarily ___ in nature

linear; can be cyclical

analysis works well when there is _______ level of inter-connectivity between parts.

low

systems science

modern approach to understanding complex regional systems. calls for breaking down large, complex ecosystems into smaller pieces that can be analyzed, studies the earth as a system of interacting parts (looks at changes within and between these parts)

_____ feedback loops associated with an overall stable and sustainable pattern of development

negative

isolated system

no interaction at all, universe is an example, debatable whether exists in reality

positive feedback loop

nodes of feedback loop go both ways, and if one side increases the other increases as well (ex. business and customers, if businesses provide more, customers buy more, etc.) (initial exponential growth, then meet boundary condition where they crash back down again, ex. financial bubble)

function cannot describe set of things, b/c sets do not ____

perform a common function (ex. nations at war, can only describe interactions)

differentiation

proliferation of subsystems; more capable of responding to diversity (ex. development of multi cellular organism that originates from one cell; world-wide trade relations)

emergent properties are _____ different

qualitatively

flow

rate of change in a stock (water flowing out of tank)

efficiency

ratio between system's inputs and ouputs

closed system

resist new inputs from environment, defined by boundary, risks atrophy (ex. boat on sea: designed not to take on water, teens in a park)

Q1 systems or sets

set= group of objects that share no common function system= elements serve a collective functions

collection of elements with no shared function

sets; set = simple sum of its elements

resource

stored form of energy, enables system to perform work (food, petroleum)

environment

sum total of interactions, resources lying outside of system, provides system with inputs and receives system's outputs

______+_______=emergence

synchronization; synergies

productive vs. consumptive process

system takes in some resource from environment and performs work on it to produce output of greater value (lifting object off ground, low input to high output, higher state of potential energy) vs. input resource transferring energy to system, conserving energy withing system's boundaries and producing waste to environment (metabolic process of digestion)

reductionism

the reduction of complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study Three step process 1. Break down system into most elementary components 2. Analyze components 3. Recombine components Now you can understand properties of the elements

cybernetics

the study of information processing, feedback, and control in communication systems

systems are defined by ____ and system thinking sees ____

their function; functions

negative causal link

two nodes change in opposite directions, one increases and one decreases (predators and prey, is predators increase, prey decrease, and vice versa) (wave-like graph bounded within upper and lower limit, smooth fluctuations)

analysis vs. synthesis

understanding by breaking down into elements vs. gaining understanding of entity through whole which it is part of

unidirectional vs. bidirectional

uni: input to output only (aging); bi: can also invert process to transfer output back to input through inverse function (building lego house), can require much more energy

strong vs. weak emergence

weak: understandable, can be traced back to individual elements, can be computed strong: phenomena cannot be reduced to individual components, cannot be simulated or predicted (ex. consciousness)