System thinking: A Glance on the Human body and Environment with a focus on Evolution, Acceptance & Adaptability
Exploring Questions
- What are the core elements for understanding a system?
- Does our body really adapt to Socio-environmental changes? If so, then in which pathway? Who defines Evolution?
- The Case of Popular market.
Using System thinking as an approach to look deep into our own human body , I incorporated and linked some keywords of system thinking with the functions of body parts and I have realized that our own body as an example of Whole big system which consists Sub-systems that are working in Synergy and in an interconnected way that ensures our day to day well functioning and qualifies us as human beings . The more I associate the keywords the simpler it becomes to understand the complex system of the human body. I have used system vocabulary such as Inflows, Outflows of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood through a circulatory system to feedback loops, causal loops. I also introduced a common health issue which is an accumulation of cough and detailed out the process in system thinking vocabulary.
The key idea that I would take from this is that Equilibrium and Adaptiveness and Continuous re-adaptations to environmental demands are core elements for the understanding of a system.
Now imagining a body, The process of receiving resources (input) and exporting products (output) is an exchange process. When the raw materials are received, components of a system work together to transform the materials into products exported to the environment. During this throughput process, the system is engaged in two types of feedback mechanisms: negative and positive both at Inter & Intra level among different organs and systems respectively. Negative feedback is to correct errors if any, in order to maintain the current state of the system whereas positive feedback is to change the system through improvement or growth.
Environment Change and Equifinality
Now In response to the change in the environment, a system develops the capacity to become complicated as the conditions of the environment become complex ( like Suppose a change in Weather condition, triggers all the systems inside human body) This leads to the process of matching capacity of requisite variety, which is important to make sure the body can function and survive in different circumstances . Accordingly, because of these processes, the totality of a system is greater than the sum of its part, which is the concept of holism. This links to the uniqueness of every system based on interaction and interdependence among components. Interactions among components give rise to the structure and the properties of a system, which is known as emergence. Emergence, therefore, offers explanations for the higher-order entity by lower-level activities and interactions. Emergence also refers to the unexpected and surprising results of a system, especially a complex system, derived from such lower-level activities and interactions. The interdependence between components means that a system can reach a final state through multiple conditions and paths, which is known as equifinality. The open exchange with the environment helps the system develop the capacity to grow and survive without deteriorating, which is called negative entropy & a system desires to maintain its steady-state or homeostasis by balancing the energy imported.
The case of Entropy in Social Systems: Where is the acceptance?
As we already know The open exchange with the environment helps the system develop and grow, This dreamy picture in reality of Social systems falls shorts to what it promises. Taking the case of inclusivity, We often come to scenarios of developing countries where Differently Abled. Transsexual person, LGBTQ community of society are viewed through the lens of sympathy and pity, disgust and often treated as a different part of a Social system, This Open exchange of receiving such behavior from environment results in Stress, depression, anxiety. As to be seen as ”not being the part of normal”. This section of information largely impacts the Child development stages and it remained as Reinforcing loops over the life of the person which often results in adaptation to the roleplay of non-inclusive, non — participant in the society. This form of interaction largely defines the system current health and it could be used as a tool to measure the credibility and livability of a System.
Does our body really adapt to Socio-environmental changes? If so, then in which pathway? Who defines Evolution?
If we dig deep into this behavioral phenomenon of society and not play the blame game to the first suspect, We can discover a large picture. The Large picture involves history, country, governance, Mental models, ( Am I talking about the Iceberg model yet?) Indeed I am. Mental models say a lot about the structure, the live process and the future predictions of a System. The Governance mental model in play is the key to Evolution in Systems development. The point here is Authority and the Range of exercising the power of certain components. If one observes the body, we can find important components such as the heart, brain, liver. According to Unani philosophy these are also subjected to have a greater authority and range of exercising power especially brain , Similarly In the case of human relations the governance, law, and society play similar role but governance play a special role and mostly regulates and play according to political motive which again is set on a specific set of mental model, Hence Governance and mind hold the key to evolution.(mental models eventually)
The Case of Popular Market: Med Market that kills
Due to the large political marketing environment, we are often lead to believe in a certain type of medication philosophy and this passes on as generational thing in a form of practices adopted for the treatment of any disease, which in return ensures that other philosophies remain in dark. The best example of this would be that in a class filled with 12 students all of us are majorly adopting allopathy as a form of treatment for our disease and when allopathy fails we switch over to next thing hence creating a hierarchy of uninformed decision based on biases. This bias is sown into us through marketing. The constant brandishing and IEC campaigns related to allopathic treatment make us restricted to only one philosophy of medicine. Here Demand is created through marketing. This leads to Continuous re-adaptation to environmental demands and we seek to crawl towards allopathic treatment.
Abstract Question
If interaction among components gives rise to structures, then where is the structure for Inclusiveness or maybe there is a fault in our process of interaction with components which we refuse to accept as normal.
Conclusion
One thing that could be finally said is System thinking here works as a language to break down complex things into simpler words. It works as a translator which tries to express rather than debate and establishing notions. It doesn’t say between right or wrong, It does only makes things more observable and easy to comprehend hence allowing views for change and growth open to pitch in for things, we call Systems. And it achieves in it in forms of useful interventions, Interventions that are necessary as an input for growth. One thing also came up is to know the balance i.e, an equilibrium of knowing and believing which certainly comes through keeping our checks & balance of a system reviewed. A systemic approach helps better in terms of analyzing gaps and thereby suggesting the components required for equilibrium and evolution.
References-
1. System Theory By Adam heil- www.siue.edu/~adheil/Systems%20Theory%20Paper.pdf
