Identifying phenomenological foundations of systems engineering and systems science

Engineering disciplines (electrical, civil, mechanical, and chemical engineering), concerned with physical phenomena, are founded on math–physics theoretical models from related sciences. It is sometimes asserted that systems engineering lacks, and is seeking equivalent foundations grounded in modelled physical phenomena, on an impactful par with other engineering disciplines. We instead argue (a) there is an already well‐known system phenomenon; (b) its model‐based theory has long been known in the form of Hamilton's principle, Noether's theorem, and similar established theories; (c) this phenomena and theory are general parent cases of the more familiar phenomena and model‐based theories of the other engineering disciplines and sciences; and (d) for emerging larger scale systems important to society, new larger scale phenomena, model‐based theories, and engineering disciplines may be developed using this general parent. Contemporary examples include ground vehicles, aircraft, marine vessels, and biochemical networks; ahead are healthcare, distribution networks, market systems, ecologies, and the Internet of Things.