Streaming Media
Format
Video of a talk by Martin Zwick, after being introduced by his wife, Elinor Langer
Document Type
Video
Publication Date
6-2-2024
Subjects
systems theory, complex systems, systems philosophy, scientific metaphysics, theory of everything, ontology of problems, secular theodicy
Abstract
This talk is a short description of the book, Elements and Relations, given in an informal setting -- a book party at home -- to a small gathering of family, friends, and colleagues.
A more formal description of the book from the publisher's (Springer) site:
This book develops the core proposition that systems theory is an attempt to construct an “exact and scientific metaphysics,” a system of general ideas central to science that can be expressed mathematically. Collectively, these ideas would constitute a non-reductionist “theory of everything” unlike what is being sought in physics. Inherently transdisciplinary, systems theory offers ideas and methods that are relevant to all of the sciences and also to professional fields such as systems engineering, public policy, business, and social work. To demonstrate the generality and importance of the systems project, the book structures its content in three parts: Essay, Notes, and Commentary. The Essay section is a short distillation of systems ideas that illuminate the problems that many types of systems face. Commentary explains systems thinking, its value, and its relation to mainstream scientific knowledge. It shows how systems ideas revise our understanding of science and how they impact our views on religion, politics, and history. Finally, Notes contains all the mathematics in the book, as well as scientific, philosophical, and poetic content that is accessible to readers without a strong mathematical background.
Rights
All rights reserved by Martin Zwick.
Citation Details
Martin Zwick (2024), "How Is This Book (Elements and Relations) Different From All Other Books?" Home book party, Portland Oregon, June 2, 2024.
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Description
Video of Martin Zwick giving a short talk about his Elements and Relations book, published by Springer in 2023. The talk was given a a home book party on June 2, 2024. Martin's wife, Elinor Langer, first introduces him.