An Introduction to General Systems Thinking

For more than twenty-five years, An Introduction to General Systems Thinking has been hailed as an innovative introduction to systems theory, with applications in computer science and beyond. Used in university courses and professional seminars all over the world, the text has proven its ability to open minds and sharpen thinking. Originally published in 1975 and reprinted more than twenty times over a quarter century and now available for the first time from Dorset House Publishing the text uses clear writing and basic algebraic principles to explore new approaches to projects, products, organizations, and virtually any kind of system. Scientists, engineers, organization leaders, managers, doctors, students, and thinkers of all disciplines can use this book to dispel the mental fog that clouds problem-solving. As author Gerald M. Weinberg writes in the new Preface to the Silver Anniversary Edition, "I haven't changed my conviction that most people don't think nearly as well as they could had they been taught some principles of thinking." Now an award-winning author of nearly forty books spanning the entire software development life cycle including The Psychology of Computer Programming: Silver Anniversary Edition and Exploring Requirements (with Donald C. Gause) Weinberg had already acquired extensive experience as a programmer, manager, university professor, and consultant when this book was originally published. With helpful illustrations, numerous end-of-chapter exercises, and an appendix on a mathematical notation used in problem-solving, An Introduction to General Systems Thinking may be your most powerful tool in working with problems, systems, and solutions.

Review :
." . . truly an extraordinary piece of work. . . . ." . . the best collection of thought experiments and points of contention that I have ever seen gathered together in one location. . . . "This book will still be worth reading for a long time to come and it is on my list of top ten computing books of the year." "It is difficult to . . . give this book the credit it deserves in such a limited review. Suffice it to say this is one of the classics of systems or science of computing. I recommend it to all; it will cause both scientists and non-scientists to examine their world and their thinking. This book will appear on my reading table at regular intervals, and one day I hope to update to the golden anniversary edition." "The positioning of the observer as the constructor of the system is very interesting, as is the discussion of stability and change. ." . . thought provoking and evocative. . . . an important read."