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This chapter is devoted to an overview of the basic concepts defining Good Old-Fashioned Systemics (GOFS). The list and comments about such concepts is to be viewed as an introduction to Chap. 2, where we consider new conceptual categories, elaborated upon later when outlining the landscape of a new systemics. The reflections contained within these chapters have been made keeping in mind the current status of the discipline, the advancements, problems and approaches of contemporary science. We also review a partial list of unanswered questions raised by the original von Bertalanffy proposal of a General System Theory. In the last section, dedicated to further remarks, we briefly discuss the concept of matter, which is the basic framework itself of GOFS. This concept will be updated according to the conceptual basis for a new systemics outlined in Chap. 2 and in the rest of the book.

In this chapter we consider the conceptual framework given by multiple processes of emergence and properties of the between such processes of emergence. Multiple processes of emergence are considered establishing levels when one process occurs from mechanisms acting on entities and properties emergent in their turn from a different emergent process, horizontally or vertically – top-down or bottom-up.

“I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics…” Richard Feynman, in The Character of Physical Law; MIT Press, Cambridge, Ma, 1967.

In this second part of the book, dedicated to the cultural meanings of post-GOFS, systemic concepts are considered as being almost redefined within the general conceptual frameworks outlined above. The main challenge relates to the conceptual coexistence between: Disciplines based more on a disciplinary usage of advanced systemic concepts GOFS concepts and approaches resembling a generic conceptual tissue among disciplines Interdisciplinarity based on transversal usage of models, simulations (Shiflet & Shiflet, 2014) and methodologies and popularizations allowing the usage of specialized terms in generic ways

This chapter presents an overview of prospective new conceptual categories expected to characterize the new or second-generation systemics. We refuse here to call it systemics 2.0 (Minati, 2016; Minati, Abram, & Pessa, 2016) even though GOFS, or systemics 1.0, had several releases, as mentioned in Sect. 1.1, including the theory of dynamical systems, automata theory, control theory, cybernetics, games theory and system dynamics.

Starting from the last years of the past century, the number of papers and books using, within the most different scientific domains, the networks as the main conceptual tool undergo a fast growth. This circumstance allowed the introduction of the generic name of network science (see, for instance, Barabasi & Posfai, 2016; Lewis, 2009a) to denote a number of contributions having in common the fact of using the mathematical machinery of graph theory as well as of its consequences. The interest in the network science was justified by the fact that its methods allowed to obtain new and interesting results regarding collective systems.As well known, this expression denotes systems made by a large number of reciprocally interacting basic units, whose study is often very difficult by resorting to traditional mathematical tools. Despite that, the tools of network science allowed, since the first papers, not only to characterize the possible dynamical evolution of some kinds of collective systems but also to forecast in advance their survival ability in the presence of damages and their usefulness as supporters of information transmission.

In this paper we consider the correspondence between the centrality of the role of the observer for the concepts of probability and emergence. We base our considerations on the fundamental insight of the Italian mathematician Bruno de Finetti who introduced the concept of probability of an event as the observer’s degree of belief. This correspondence is very important for dealing with modern problems of uncertainty related to chaos and complexity and to the modelling emergence.

In the history of western democracies, now degenerating into post-democracies, it is possible to identify a first phase during which aspirant leadership has been attempting to influence and involve people, by forcing masses to do something, to believe something, rather than by getting consent. The second phase relates to democracies where aspirant leadership must get consent thorough formal elections. The mass dimension is not related anymore to involvement, but to getting formal consent. Manipulating social techniques, based on sophisticated research in cognitive science and applied by using the mass-media, have been and are used for marketing exploiting knowledge of complex human behavior in order to turn individuals into customers. Similar technologies are used for to influence people to buy a political offer and leadership. The mass dimension is not anymore a warranty of democracy, but rather the basis for applying marketing techniques that make consent buyable. Democratic societies became degenerated post-democratic societies. The most significant aspect of such manipulating techniques is the manipulation and control of language used by applying approaches based on cognitive science. Some of those approaches are introduced. The purpose of this contribution is to focus on how the systems community may make people aware of the manipulating processes and able to recognize them, with special reference to language. The possibility to make consent buyable may be the end of the classic idea of democracy and this must be taken in count when dealing with so-called emergent social systems, often assumed to be non-democratic by western societies.

General Systems Theory produced many cultural and scientific results and approaches based on some fundamental aspects like the interaction between components, distinguished from relation. Inter-disciplinarity is introduced as the disciplinary study of systemic properties. Trans-disciplinarity is introduced as the study of systemic properties in general and of relationships among them. Finally Systemics is introduced as cultural generalization of the principles contained in the General Systems Theory. In reference to many new scientific disciplinary results we introduce the need to update the concepts and models of Systemics. We introduce a short review of those results, like Collective Phenomena; Phase Transitions in physics; Dynamical Usage of Models (DYSAM); Multiple systems, emerging from the same elements, but having simultaneous different interactions among them; Uncertainty Principles; Laws of scaling; Modelling emergence; Systemic meaning of new theorizations like Quantum Field Theories (QFT) in physics with related applications in biology, in studying the brain, consciousness, and in dealing with long-range correlations. The study of emergence undertaken in many disciplinary fields, like Physics, Biology, Artificial Life, Information Technology and Economics, has been realized focusing on the web of fundamental problems of General Systems Theory like the transition between non-systemic and systemic phases. The problem of modelling emergence relates to modelling processes of interaction between components and the observer. Dealing with those new problems and results calls for new theoretical approaches for Systemics. The change is expected to be so innovative to name this process with particular reference to emergence: Systemics of emergence or Second Systemics. We stress the need that the systems community, honouring its tradition and mission, be active part and leads this process, while at the present the most important research activities on Systemics seem to take place disciplinarily, out from the system community.

Usually a (dynamic or non dynamic) model1 is formulated to understand, simulate, manage, forecast the behavior of a system or phenomena of different kinds (i.e. physical, biological, chemical, social). The models are formulated on the basis of theoretical assumptions, for instance suitable to be used to produce software models and mathematical descriptions.

This paper refers to Cognitive Science (Benjafield, 1992) and Systems Theory (Minati, 1998b). The general topic is the ability for a system to use in different ways resources, totally or partially, non or no more available as expected by the system (for instance the ability to move, which is to walk for people having good availability of natural resources presumed to be used for that purpose and to use different resources in total or partial substitution of the unavailable ones. Related systemic topics in other domains as control and signal theory, cybernetic devices, computer science, dynamics, etc., where the subjects of balancing and compensating (introduced below) are of great interest, are not subjects of this contribution even if some common meaning and analogies may be identified. The focus in on the information processing capabilities of the system to manage processes of balancing and compensating. Focus is on living systems supposed, at certain levels of complexity, provided with cognitive system, acting with cognitive models, cognitive resources and cognitive architectures. Systems provided with simulated Cognitive Systems may also be of great interest such as in robotics when some physical damages occur and they may be dealt with by processes of balancing and compensating.

Opening Lecture. Synergetics - An Overview H. Haken. Modelling. First Cellular Automata Model of Red Mullet Behaviour F. Badalamenti, et al. Simulations of Forest Fires by Cellular Automata Modelling E. Bendicenti, et al. The Dynamic Usage of Models (DYSAM) G. Minati, S. Brahms. Cognitive Science. The Emergence of Strategies in Cognitive Development M.P. Penna. Emergence of the Symbolic Function G. Terenzi. Synaptic Development as a Variational Problem P. Camiz. Theoretical Issues in Systemics. Emergence and Ergodicity: A Line of Research G. Minati. Decomposition of Systems M.R. Abram. Generic Properties of Complex Networks R. Serra. The Role of Stability Theory in the Great Theories of the XX Century U. Di Caprio. A Generalization of Compensation Mechanism in Variable-Structure Systems. E.Pessa, G. Resconi. Education. A Systemic Proposal on the Use of a New Technology as a Learning Tool in School Context M.P. Penna, et al. A System Approach to the Educational Research: Reflection on an Experience A. Codetta Raiteri, R. Cambini. Evaluating an Educational Course. A Constructivist Approach R. Cambini, A. Codetta Raiteri. Systemic Approach and Information Technology. Reactive Navigation Based on Self-Organised Visual Information G. Tascini, et al. Web Usability: Meaning and Context. Over Data Structures M.C. Tofoni, A. Montesanto. Membrane Systems for Computing G. Mauri, C. Zandron. General Systems. Transforming Leadership through Coalitions: Building the Ethics of Sustainable Development in Globalization L.A. Magliocca, G. Minati. Meaning Extraction from the Analysis of Video-Registrations of Human Movements M.P. Penna, et al. Multidisciplinary Techniques for Classifying Styles in Narrative Texts: a Preliminary Study M. Nardon, et al. The Religious Aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the West Bank: Systemic Implications S. Brahms. Disciplinarity in the Pursuit of Knowledge A. Collen. Management. Distributed Knowledge Management. A Systemic Approach M. Bonifacio, P. Bouquet. The Role of Knowledge Management as a Key Tool for Companies to deal with the Turbulent Environment: A Survey P. Penna, et al. Systemic Approaches to Human Care. Balancing and Compensating Equilibrium Deficits in Beings Provided with Cognitive Processing Capabilities G. Minati, A. Ricciuti. Emergence, Individuality, Therapy.A Systemic Vision of Homeopathy M. Trionfi. Systemic Support Therapy for Cancer Patients During and After Chemotherapy A. Ricciuti A Systemic Approach to the Modelling of Epileptic Phenomena P.L. Bandinelli, et al. Synergetics and Systemics. Some Comments about Determinism and Classical Physics L. Galgani. What is Emergence? E. Pessa . Quantum Field Theory and System Theory G. Vitello. Index.

This working paper is a contribution to the discussion on emergence based on research topics debated in the international scientific community and introduced in the Italian Systems Society by Pessa and Minati with the notes presented during meetings and available in the AIRS’s web page (Pessa, 2001).

One of the most important problems to be dealt with when studying organizations and social systems concerns the individuation of their inner structural relationships. These latter appear as particularly difficult to describe when we are in the presence of evolutionary changes, such as the ones which give rise to the emergence of new macroscopic relational structures. This is the case, for instance, when we study growth or crisis phases within business companies, or merging processes between them.

A list of practical rules for companies and banks is proposed in order to identify and measure ethics. A service named Ethical Quality Measurement (EQM) is proposed. Important references with some activities of the European Economic Community (EEC) in defining the ECOLABEL and ECOAUDIT programs are identified. A very important reference to the research activity about the concept of ‘logical openness’ in General Systems Theory (GST) is identified and a parallel with the research on semantic processing in artificial intelligence is proposed.