Thinking In Systems: A Primer (2008)

Book Info

Author

Donella H. Meadows

Genre

Nonfiction

Rating

4.2 of 5 Votes: 2

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ISBN

1603580557 (ISBN13: 9781603580557)

Language

English

Publisher

Chelsea Green Publishing

Shops

Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble

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About book Thinking In Systems: A Primer (2008)

Thinking in Systems: A Primer Donelia H. Meadows Systems engineering and systems theory can quickly dissolve into a fun house of recursive models. This book doesn't make that mistake. It certainly provides a very accessible and engaging introduction to ST. But what truly makes this book great is how it changes the way you look at and understand the world. For the better. Who doesn't want that? This is one of those books that where it was almost useless to highlight valuable statements because I was highlighting multiple things every page. Meadows does not go into the mathematics of systems theory. As the title suggests, she focuses on the key ideas so that the reader learns to think about systems and their common properties. One of the key takeaways from this book -- if I had to choose just one -- is that systems have common properties that apply regardless of their type. There are ways of thinking about environmental, human, technological, and other systems that show their deep similarities and give insights into their differences. Overall, this book was readable and should be a required read for anyone who designs or influences systems, big or small.