TPOVs @F-L-O-W
Meta System
I’m comfortable at this point, using the term MetaSystem, because it doesn’t make sense to hyphenate it, because if you don’t, it models the pre — not the post, if you understand what I mean.
The concept of metasystem transition allows us to introduce a kind of objective quantitative measure of evolution and distinguish between evolution in the positive direction, progress, and what we consider an evolution in the negative direction, regress (cf. the direction of evolution). For example, here is the sequence of metasystem transitions which led, starting from the appearance of organs of motion, to the appearance of human thought and human society: http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/MST.html
- control of position = movement
- control of movement = irritability (simple reflex)
- control of irritability = (complex) reflex
- control of reflex = associating (conditional reflex)
- control of associating = human thinking
- control of human thinking = culture
System underlying and external to
other (overlying, lower in logical order and often more
visible) systems, and the understanding of which is essential
to the understanding of the overlying systems. For example,
the constitution of a nation is a metasystem that governs the
code of law that governs the behavior of its citizens. Read
more:
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/metasystem.html
I/you have to be careful that we
don’t term a "system of systems" as a metasystem, because it
doesn’t work, which is the reason for years I’ve thought that
transdisciplinary work is not metasystematic reasoning
automatically.
I probably will write another TPOV
at some point, on metasystematic thinking as it applies to
hierarchical task performance, because such a system is
defined by a coordination of the systematic level of reasoning
and so on, from formal, as it uses abstract reasoning to
define it’s coordination and integration — although sometimes
integration is a reach, because coordination and integration
are not the same thing.
Helpful Hint: What’s important is to think of
something that is a control system coordinating subsystems,
where the control ‘S’ is now coordinating the S systems. For
instance, work at level 5 in RO coordinates and informs level
4, and level 4 work is system related work, which informs
multiple processes within the system. The level 4 system is
not a metasystem, but a system of processes.
But for the
curious, metasystematic reasoning has it’s roots in level 4,
and will sometimes appear in level 3 work, as level 4, mode
>5 individuals will be unconsciously entering
metasystematic thinking, even though they are unable to
generate it per se. They can begin to understand it as they
move out of level 3 work, into level 4 capability, even though
the level 4 capability is beginning to be informed by level 5
metasystematic thinking. They can’t generate it until they can
move
subject/object relations.
Action Step: Review the
graphical story board at
http://www.flawlessliving.info/metasystem/index.html for
an idea of how a framework of values, or a vMEME can form
using simple dynamics, agents, rules, tensions, and
conditionals in a metasystem called Emergenics.
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You, Me, and We @F-L-O-W
Mike R. Jay is a developmentalist utilizing consulting, coaching, mentoring and advising as methods to offer developmental scaffolding for aspiring leaders who are interested in being, doing, having, becoming, and contributing… to helping people have lives.
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