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Dear Judith,
I red your father's A-R and found it
fascinatingm, mainly because it sounds real, honest and sincere in appreciating
the works of others close or around his 'Imperative'. He also
provides in a remarkably condense form the bottom line of system theory and
huge distance between quantum theory and quantum mechanics, by also indicating
implicitely who is on the side of the theory, citing for that matter
Hamiltoniantheory, another imperative, and Bertananffy's approach to systems
thinking which has shaped our thinking process (within GST and ISSS).
The change of the name of the society moved the weight away from
social/humane to scientific and somehow pushed the Society's activity from
theory to practice, favoring tangible results and moving the theories to
underground. I personally witnessed this shift, but at that time I could not
imagine its potential detrimental effects to the systems approach as against the
reductionist one where the science feels comfortable. Later I understand what
was happening. I am still a member to the ISSS with some resentment, though,
especially because of its disintegration in the name of operating through
special integration groups. In the process many people with a vision pushed
to backgound and even forgotten, survived only for ceremonial activities, such
as organizing an ISSS Conference etc.or writing a book.
Your father is one of the great men of our time
and in our false world. He and people like him surely attract so much
envy, tacitly expressed as jealousy and greed in their small world,
where deep questions are not asked and sharp people are beaten up or
lowered. To my mind no one can claim an idea expressed by one person,
however important it could be during his life time. Ideas are built-up based on
the strength of their essences. RR has also done this during his life-time
by giving the credit to whom concerned, as deserved. Now his time has
come as I understand from the ongoing discussion -within your list, also in
that of John Kineman- on selling RR, rather his vision, to a university
.The comments by people are flying with such a great speed that I can not
catch them up to make a sensible contribution to the evolution of
ideas.
In the mean time J. Kineman is seeking ideas on
how best his line can be more productive and well-directed, I say,
rather self-directed, within a framework with an upward arrow. As soon as
I can, I shall humbly give him my ideas in that connection. I can
already guess that RR's vision may provide a good base, not as
selling RR or rather RR's vision, to a university but to
the humanity at large. In the meantime formal education systems may pick it
up and help further evolve.
Here I would like to refer to one of RR's para.
in his A-R which supports also my way of handling such a subtle matter of a
great importance for the humanity, in particular, in our time. He reflects his vision in the garb of Bertalanffy. RR says: "I
got to understand Bertalanffy's view of System Theory , not only as a
scientific, but also as a social instrument. Until then, I had always found the
term ' General System Movement' uncomfortable; but that is exactly how von
Bertalanffy perceived it. Wheras I viewed the reductionisms and materialims
rampant in biology merely as scientifically inadequate, von Bertalanffy saw them
as evil and dehumanizing; in the deepest sense immoral. Animated by his profound
love of both science and humanity, he was inspired to project his view of
systems, governed by ways of relating things rather than stressing differences,
into an alternate world view; a paradigm, as he called it, which would offer
both science and mankind something better. He viewed his vision, then, not
merely as something to be reported, but as Gospel to be
preached."
Now it seems that we can bring a new light
coming from the underground to the Society's activities and beyond, perhaps
finding new ways of disseminating the healthy seeds. In this context, it may
already be useful, if operationally possible) to bring the three
lists (I am following) under one as Tom Mandel, John Kineman and
youself/Tim Gwinn are transmitting in the same wave-length.
Thank you again by bringing to me some
enlightenment.
My best,
Aydin
My best
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