SYSTEMS THEORY IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY: THE EVOLUTION OF SYSTEMS THINKING AND SYSTEMS LEARNING IN A SMALL YOUTH ORGANIZATION

摘要

The practice of evolutionary design developed a small community based, traditionallyrnformed youth organization into a highly creative, effective, ethically based, continuallyrnlearning system. A case study that involves action research and systems research methodsrnillustrates how this occurred with no financial expenditure and very little systems trainingrnand professional assistance. An evolutionary guidance system was created from thernhighest aspirations of the people of the system in nine dimensions of purpose: socialrnaction, culture, economics, esthetics, governance, health, learning/human development,rnscientific knowledge/technology, and ethics. Evolutionary design occurred in the creativernspace that formed between the commonly held ideals and the perceived realities.rnBecause the evolutionary guidance system is ethical in nature, the creative spacernencouraged the development of moral reasoning and ethical expertise. Diverse input andrnopen discussion in the design process developed cognitive, interpersonal, andrnintrapersonal consciousness. The design process required and developed mindfulness andrndirect experience of the illusiveness of thought. Evolutionary design resulted in learningrnthat is normally considered to be the deep and complex arena of higher orders of adultrnhuman development. This study demonstrates that it is possible and practical for a grouprnof ordinary people to consciously and continually redesign their system in order to raiserntheir own consciousness.