Several streams of cybernetic thinking lead to the notion that there may exist systems of a higher logical order than that of manmade organisation. Such systems would be autopoietic and, in principle, beyond human control. Man and his institutions would be but components of such systems. The accelerated growth of institutions and the connections between them facilitated by the IT revolution makes the realization of such systems more probable at this time. The implications for systems practice are discussed.

Key words: autopoiesis, cybernetics, management, organization, systems practice.

That Piagetian epistemology has the dynamics of knowledge growth as its core consideration predetermines a need to consider it as potentially applicable to teaching. This paper addresses that need by first outlining the Piagetian theory of equilibration and then applying it to the construction of methods of teaching science.

Key words: teaching science, paper address, knowledge growth, piagetian theory, core consideration.

Excerpt: In what follows we shall first cast a short glance at the special features of empirical studies of literature (abbreviated as ESL) before we give a condensed report on how ESL might come to terms with the problem of understanding

Excerpt: This book, a German translation of ‘El árbol del conocimiento’ (1984), is remarkable in two respects. First, its format draws attention. Apparently great care has been taken of the layout of the text and of the illustrations. The content is even more special. Already the table of content, and especially its flow-diagram (cfr. p. 18), highlights the ambition of the two Chilean authors. The system biologists want to formulate a coherent world view which is based on their scientific work and which has been widely published. In this book they use their insight to present an explanation of the most crucial phenomena of our existence thereby stressing their biological foundation.

It is suggested that the immune network possesses a distinct internal structure, such that B-lymphocyte clones fall into four categories: 1) A multi-affinity or “sticker” group A, containing all the immunoglobulins with auto-affinity, and generally having affinity for nearly all the other immunoglobulins; 2) and 3) Two “mirror” groups B and C, characterized by the fact that there is virtually no within-group affinity; the affinities between B and C can be arranged co-linearly so that a clone from group B has affinity with its opposite number(s) in group C; 4) A fourth group of low affinity, each clone having affinity only with clones from group A. Computer simulations show that this way of analyzing the connectivity of the network makes sense (a) in relation to the stereochemical origins of affinity; and (b) in relation to the dynamical behavior of the clones in a functioning network.