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Social relations: Building on Ludwig von Bertalanffy

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  • Wolfgang Hofkirchner

Abstract

Ludwig von Bertalanffy did not leave us a legacy of a social systems theory. Nonetheless, reconstructing his general approach to systems provides us with several ideas on how to build a theory of social systems. The concept of social relations easily connects to Bertalanffy's concept of relations of organization. His way of thinking underlines that social relations, as any relations of organization, are unobservables that long for theoretical means of understanding. His conception of the world would assign social relations a special place in a hierarchy of processes internal to a social system—they represent the whole of the system that nonetheless emerges from the interaction of the actors as parts thereof. Last but not least, his world view would orient us towards an organization of social systems in which the dialectic of social relations and actors balances unity and diversity as an Ought. These three main ideas of Bertalanffy offer system theoretical pillars that can inspire current social theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolfgang Hofkirchner, 2019. "Social relations: Building on Ludwig von Bertalanffy," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 263-273, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:36:y:2019:i:3:p:263-273
    DOI: 10.1002/sres.2594
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    Cited by:

    1. Roberto Aprile & David Alexander & Federica Doni, 2023. "Enhancing the materiality principle in integrated reporting by adopting the General Systems Theory," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2219-2233, September.
    2. Krzysztof Kasianiuk, 2021. "On a system–environment relationship in scientific inquiry: A response to ‘Definition of System’ by A. D. Hall and R. E. Fagen," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 517-526, August.
    3. Bruno Garcia Oliveira & Lara Bartocci Liboni & Luciana Oranges Cezarino & Nelson Oliveira Stefanelli & Irene Kazumi Miura, 2020. "Industry 4.0 in systems thinking: From a narrow to a broad spectrum," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 593-606, July.
    4. Francesco Tramonti & Franco Giorgi & Annibale Fanali, 2021. "Systems thinking and the biopsychosocial approach: A multilevel framework for patient‐centred care," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 215-230, March.

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