Immersive Systemic Knowing: Advancing Systems Thinking Beyond Rational Analysis (Contemporary Systems Thinking)

This book advances systems thinking by introducing a new philosophy of systemic knowing. It argues that there are inescapable limits to rational understanding. Humankind has always depended on extended ways of knowing to complement the rational-analytic approach. The book establishes that the application of such methods is fundamental to systemic practice. The author advocates embracing two modes of consciousness: intentionality, which Western philosophy has long recognized, and non-intentional awareness, which Eastern philosophy additionally highlights. The simultaneity of these two modes of consciousness, and the variety of knowings they spawn are harnessed for a more holistic, systemic knowing. Four practices from fields related to systems thinking are examined: two contemporary action research methodologies from the US and the UK; the Sumedhian (Indian) approach to inquiry about processes within groups; and a technique of group psychotherapy originating in Eastern Europe. Each of these systematically harnesses knowing using both modes of consciousness. Therefore, the author insists, such approaches must be included in systemic practice, in purposeful and methodical juxtaposition to rational-analytic ways. The book provides examples and guidelines for deployment. "All researchers and practitioners of systems thinking and action research must read this book...Raghav has craftfully blended Eastern and Western wisdom. He uses his immersion into Eastern ways of knowing practically, to elaborate the systems philosophy in rich detail. He has incorporated, from cooperative inquiry as action research, the idea of four ways of knowing: practical, propositional, presentational and experiential, to bolster the foundations of systems thinking"--SHANKAR SANKARAN, Professor, University of Technology Sydney, Australia; President International Society of Systems Sciences (ISSS) 2019-2020 "This is a book with the potential to stimulate the emergence of a new paradigm. Raghav shows that systems thinking can transcend rational analysis and incorporate other ways of knowing, such as arts-based methods... also, rather than be overly preoccupied with striving for change, there is value in simply abiding, which comes with a deep appreciation of the ecological relationships we are part of. It's not that rational analysis is wrong - it's that it is only part of a genuinely transformative practice". --GERALD MIDGLEY, Co-Director, Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull; former President, ISSS (2013-14) "Raghav Rajagopalan's writing on generating deep appreciation for the social and ecological interdependencies ties in closely with my own work. The philosophical ideas he develops contain the tracings and essential tones of Gregory Bateson's idea of "Mind" as a process of living complexities reaching well beyond the notion of the body. This book demonstrates outstanding erudition and deep compassion at the same time. It should delight the adventurous reader unafraid of big questions".--NORA BATESON, President of the International Bateson Institute Foreword 6 Preface 12 References 14 Acknowledgements 15 Contents 16 Abbreviations 20 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Book 21 Chapter 2: Systems Thinking 26 2.1 Introduction 26 2.2 General Systems Theory 28 2.3 Origins and Developments in the Sciences 32 2.3.1 Contributions from Philosophy 33 2.3.2 The Behavioural Sciences (Biology, Sociology, Anthropology, Ecology, Economics) 34 2.3.3 Cybernetics, Systems/Control Engineering 38 2.3.4 The Physical Sciences and Complexity Theory 40 2.4 A Summary: What Is Systems Thinking? 41 2.5 Systems Thinking Applied to the Management Sciences: Three ‘Waves’ 43 2.5.1 The First Wave: Hard Systems Thinking (the Functionalist Approach) 46 2.5.2 The Second Wave: Soft Systems Thinking (the Interpretive Approach) 48 2.5.3 The Third Wave: Critical Systems Thinking 52 2.5.4 Werner Ulrich, Critical Systems Heuristics 56 2.5.5 Ramses Fuenmayor, Interpretive Systemology 59 2.5.6 John Mingers, Systems Thinking and Critical Realism 61 2.5.7 Ion Georgiou; Systemic Epistemology 62 2.5.8 Derek Cabrera: The DSRP Framework 62 2.6 Systemic Intervention: Gerald Midgley 63 2.7 Conclusion 66 Chapter 3: Three Basic Perspectives to Evaluate Systems Thinking 67 3.1 Introduction 67 3.2 Holism and Reflexivity 68 3.3 Second-Order Science 70 3.4 Evolutionary Perspectives 74 3.4.1 Malhotra’s Levels of Human Existence 74 3.4.2 Other Evolutionary Ideas 78 3.5 Consciousness and Intentionality 79 3.6 Evaluating Systems Thinking 81 3.6.1 Critique of Systems Thinking Using Systemic Intervention as a Case in Point 82 3.6.2 Evaluating Other Systems Approaches 88 3.6.3 Illustrative Examples 90 3.7 Conclusion 91 Chapter 4: An Ontology for Systemic Knowing 93 4.1 Introduction 93 4.2 Ontology and Epistemology of Knowing 94 4.3 The Fundamental Interconnectedness of Things 94 4.3.1 The Systems Response to Interconnectedness 100 4.3.2 Time 102 4.3.3 Space 103 4.3.4 The ‘Modern’ Outlook and Its Irrationality 104 4.3.5 An Ontology of Being 105 4.3.6 An Ethos of Being and the Separation Paradox 108 4.4 Reality Is Always Being Co-Constructed 109 4.4.1 The Phenomenon of Human Knowing 110 4.4.2 A Perspective from Cognitive Science 112 4.4.2.1 Cognitivism 112 Connectionism 113 4.4.3 Enactive Cognition 115 4.4.3.1 Embodied Cognition: Some Footnotes 116 4.4.4 The Action Paradox and the Language Paradox 116 4.4.5 The Systems Approach to Cognition 121 4.4.6 The Ontology of Knowing: Inside the Enactive Process 122 4.5 Intelligence Underlies Emergent Phenomena 127 4.5.1 Purposing in Systemic Intervention 131 4.5.2 The Intentionality Paradox and an Ontology of Learning 131 4.5.3 The Ego Paradox and an Ontology of Doing 132 4.6 Conclusion 133 Chapter 5: Two Useful Models of Knowing 134 5.1 Introduction 134 5.2 The Four Ways of Knowing: Framework for an Extended Epistemology 135 5.2.1 Experience as the Ground for Knowing 137 5.2.2 Practice Consummates Knowing 138 5.2.3 The Social Realm of Practical Knowing 138 5.2.4 Critical Subjectivity 140 5.2.5 Understanding Presentational Knowing 141 5.2.6 An Epistemology of Presentational Knowing 142 5.3 ‘Knowing Differently’: Methods for an Extended Epistemology 143 5.4 ‘Knowing Differently’ and Systemic Learning—A Case for Inquiry 144 5.5 Knowing Differently in Other Traditions—An Exploration 145 5.5.1 Ways of Knowing in Indian Handicrafts 145 5.5.2 Preliminary Learning Outcomes 148 5.6 Hodgson’s Praxis Learning Cycle 152 5.7 In Conclusion 155 Chapter 6: Innovative Knowing Methods and Wisdom Practices: What We Can Learn from Allied Disciplines and Further from Other Ages and Cultures 156 6.1 Introduction 156 6.1.1 Improvement, Growth, and Healing 157 6.1.2 Community Development, Action Research, and Systems Thinking 157 6.1.3 The Selected Methods 158 6.1.4 Researcher Bias in the Selection of Methods 160 6.2 The Process Explorations at Sumedhas 161 6.2.1 History and Background of Process Work in India 161 6.2.2 Sumedhas Perspectives and Stances 162 6.2.3 Methods 164 6.2.4 An Example and Testimonies: Theatre-Based Process Explorations 166 6.2.5 Systemic Ontology and Human Process Inquiry: Connecting Theory and Experience 174 6.3 Cooperative Inquiry 176 6.3.1 Origin and Principles 176 6.3.2 Methods 178 6.3.3 Outcomes 182 6.3.4 Systemic Ontology and Cooperative Inquiry: Connecting Theory and Experience 183 6.4 Action Inquiry 183 6.4.1 Origin and Principles 184 6.4.2 Methods 185 6.4.3 Outcome: Three-Dimensional, Living Inquiry 187 6.4.4 Systemic Ontology and Action Inquiry: Connecting Theory and Experience 188 6.5 Holotropic Breathwork 189 6.5.1 Origin and Principles 190 6.5.2 Methods 195 6.5.3 Outcomes 197 6.5.4 Systemic Intervention and Holotropic Breathwork 198 6.6 Extended Epistemology and Knowing Methods: Introducing the N3 Approach to Accessing the DIF 201 6.7 Conclusion 211 Chapter 7: Immersive Systemic Knowing: A Theory for Knowing in Practice 212 7.1 Introduction 212 7.2 Immersive Systemic Knowing: A Rough Cartography—How the Pieces Connect 214 7.3 Immersive Systemic Knowing: Another Kind of Map—What Enlivens the Whole 216 7.4 The Individual and the Herd: Shadows and Prospects 217 7.5 Immersive Systemic Knowing and the Goals of Systems Thinking 220 Chapter 8: Conclusion 223 8.1 How to Adopt and Advance These Ideas and Practices 225 References 229 Index 245 This book advances systems thinking by introducing a new philosophy of systemic knowing. It argues that there are inescapable limits to rational understanding. Humankind has always depended on extended ways of knowing to complement the rational-analytic approach. The book establishes that the application of such methods is fundamental to systemic practice. The author advocates embracing two modes of consciousness: intentionality, which Western philosophy has long recognized, and non-intentional awareness, which Eastern philosophy additionally highlights. The simultaneity of these two modes of consciousness, and the variety of knowings they spawn are harnessed for a more holistic, systemic knowing. Four practices from fields related to systems thinking are examined: two contemporary action research methodologies from the US and the UK; the Sumedhian (Indian) approach to inquiry about processes within groups; and a technique of group psychotherapy originating in Eastern Europe. Each of these systematically harnesses knowing using both modes of consciousness. Therefore, the author insists, such approaches must be included in systemic practice, in purposeful and methodical juxtaposition to rational-analytic ways. The book provides examples and guidelines for deployment. "All researchers and practitioners of systems thinking and action research must read this book ... Raghav has craftfully blended Eastern and Western wisdom. He uses his immersion into Eastern ways of knowing practically, to elaborate the systems philosophy in rich detail. He has incorporated, from cooperative inquiry as action research, the idea of four ways of knowing: practical, propositional, presentational and experiential, to bolster the foundations of systems thinking"--SHANKAR SANKARAN, Professor, University of Technology Sydney, Australia; President International Society of Systems Sciences (ISSS) 2019-2020 "This is a book with the potential to stimulate the emergence of a new paradigm. Raghav shows that systems thinking can transcend rational analysis and incorporate other ways of knowing, such as arts-based methods ... also, rather than be overly preoccupied with striving for change, there is value in simply abiding, which comes with a deep appreciation of the ecological relationships we are part of. It's not that rational analysis is wrong - it's that it is only part of a genuinely transformative practice"--GERALD MIDGLEY, Co-Director, Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull; former President, ISSS (2013-14) "Raghav Rajagopalan's writing on generating deep appreciation for the social and ecological interdependencies ties in closely with my own work. The philosophical ideas he develops contain the tracings and essential tones of Gregory Bateson's idea of "Mind" as a process of living complexities reaching well beyond the notion of the body. This book demonstrates outstanding erudition and deep compassion at the same time. It should delight the adventurous reader unafraid of big questions"--NORA BATESON, President of the International Bateson Institute Front Matter ....Pages i-xxiii Introduction to the Book (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 1-5 Systems Thinking (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 7-47 Three Basic Perspectives to Evaluate Systems Thinking (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 49-74 An Ontology for Systemic Knowing (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 75-115 Two Useful Models of Knowing (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 117-138 Innovative Knowing Methods and Wisdom Practices: What We Can Learn from Allied Disciplines and Further from Other Ages and Cultures (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 139-194 Immersive Systemic Knowing: A Theory for Knowing in Practice (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 195-205 Conclusion (Raghav Rajagopalan)....Pages 207-212 Back Matter ....Pages 213-231