Published In
International Journal of General Systems
Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
2018
Subjects
Reconstructability analysis, System design, System analysis
Abstract
A graph can specify the skeletal structure of an idea, onto which meaning can be added by interpreting the structure. This paper considers several directed and undirected graphs consisting of four nodes, and suggests different meanings that can be associated with these different structures. Drawing on John G. Bennett’s “systematics,” specifically on the Tetrad that systematics offers as a model of “activity,” the analysis formalizes and augments the systematics account and shows that the Tetrad is a versatile model of problem-solving, regulation and control, and other processes. Discussion is extended to include hypergraphs, in which links can relate more than two nodes, and the possibility of a “reconstructability analysis of ideas” is suggested.
Rights
This is the post-print version (accepted manuscript). The final version, copyrighted by Taylor & Francis, is available from the publisher:
https://doi.org/10.1080/03081079.2018.1510921
DOI
10.1080/03081079.2018.1510921
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/36249
Citation Details
Zwick, Martin (2018). “Ideas and Graphs [Post-print], “International Journal of General Systems, 47 (7): 731-750. https://doi.org/10.1080/03081079.2018.1510921