Process (philosophy)
Encyclopedia
In philosophy
and systems theory
, basic processes, or logical homologies as they were termed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy
, are unifying principles which operate in many different systemic contexts. For example, feedback
is a principle that figures prominently in the science of cybernetics
. Natural and industrial processes utilize basic processes such as feedback.
There is a philosophical system known as process philosophy
, created by Alfred North Whitehead
; related to this is process theology
.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
, basic processes, or logical homologies as they were termed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy
Ludwig von Bertalanffy
Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy was an Austrian-born biologist known as one of the founders of general systems theory . GST is an interdisciplinary practice that describes systems with interacting components, applicable to biology, cybernetics, and other fields...
, are unifying principles which operate in many different systemic contexts. For example, feedback
Feedback
Feedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
is a principle that figures prominently in the science of cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
. Natural and industrial processes utilize basic processes such as feedback.
There is a philosophical system known as process philosophy
Process philosophy
Process philosophy identifies metaphysical reality with change and dynamism. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, philosophers have posited true reality as "timeless", based on permanent substances, whilst processes are denied or subordinated to timeless substances...
, created by Alfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead, OM FRS was an English mathematician who became a philosopher. He wrote on algebra, logic, foundations of mathematics, philosophy of science, physics, metaphysics, and education...
; related to this is process theology
Process theology
Process theology is a school of thought influenced by the metaphysical process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and further developed by Charles Hartshorne . While there are process theologies that are similar, but unrelated to the work of Whitehead the term is generally applied to the...
.
Books
- Rescher, N. (1996). Process metaphysics: Am introduction to process philosophy. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
- Rescher, N. (2000). Process Philosophy- A Survey of Basic Issues. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
- Whitehead A.N. (1985). Process and Reality. New York, NY: The Free Press. (Originally published in 1929)
External links
- Article defining process in the Principia Cybernetica Web
- A Wiki community for collecting Best Practices and process improvement ideas