Understanding Complexity

Peter A. Coming Palo Alto, CA November, 2000 This volwne represents a distillation of the plenary sessions at a unique millenniwn year event -a World Congress of the Systems Sciences in conjunction with the 44th annual meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS). The overall theme of the conference was "Understanding Complexity in the New Millenniwn. " Held at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto, Canada, from July 16-22,2000, the conference included some 350 participants from over 30 countries, many of whom were representatives of the 21 organizations and groups that co-hosted this landmark event. Each of these co-host organizations/groups also presented a segment of the program, including a plenary speech. In addition, the conference featured a nwnber of distinguished "keynote" speeches related to the three daily World Congress themes: (1) The Evolution of Complex Systems, (2) The Dynamics of Complex Systems, and (3) Human Systems in the 21st Century. There were also seven special plenary-level symposia on a range of timely topics, including: "The Art and Science of Forecasting in the Age of Global Wanning"; "Capitalism in the New Millenniwn: The Challenge of Sustainability"; "The Future of the Systems Sciences"; "Global Issues in the New Millenniwn"; "Resources and the Environment in the New Millenniwn"; "The Lessons of Y2K"; and "Can There be a Reconciliation Between Science and Religion?" Included in this special commemorative volume is a cross-section of these presentations.

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Section One - Theories for Complex Systems.- The Systemic View of the World: The ? Logo of General Systems Research.- Systems Science Fundamental Principles.- A Cosmological Imperative: Emergence of Information, Complexity and Life.- The Co-Creation Hypothesis.- What is Infodynamics?.- Section Two - Emerging Foci on Systems Research and Practice.- The History on Sociocybernetics, RC51, of the International Sociological Association.- Systems Practice at the United Kingdom's Open University.- The WOSC and some Views about Cybernetics.- Presentation of Wiener Gold Medal to Dr. Candace Pert.- Section Three - Human Systems in the 21st Century.- On Misdirected Systems.- The Complexity of Performance and the Instruments of Mastery.- Understanding Imperfection.- Engaging with Transient Complexity in Development Projects.- Meaning Networks and Verbal Communication: A Semiotic Perspective of Human Discourse.- Can Religion be Reconciled with Science?.- Section Four - The Challenge of Sustainability.- The Bridge to Humanity's Future.- Energy, Hierarchy and Money.- Capitalism in the New Millennium: The Challenge of Sustainability.- Section Five - The Art and Science of Forecasting in the Age of Global Warming.- Technological Forecasting and Assessment Tools: The Changing Scene.- Forecasting the Innovation of Complex Technologies.- Making Technology Foresight (and Systems Studies?) Useful.- Section Six - Y2K.- Why the Century Date Change Occurred So Smoothly.- Implications for the Security of the International Information Infrastructure.- Y2K - "Ten Months After": Two "Double Binds" and a "Double Blindness".- Section Seven - The Future of Systems Science.- The Future of the Natural Systems Sciences.- Systems Thinking and the Social Sciences.- Systems Thinking forthe 21st Century.- OR 2000: Challenges and Prescriptions for the New Millennium.- Section Eight - ISSS Presidential Addresses.- The Systems Movement and ISSS in the New Millennium.- The Systems Sciences in the Year 3000.- Continuing the Traditions of ISSS - Systems Science in the Service of Humanity.