"Meta Dynamics" ?

["Finn Jackson"]

My question is whether System Dynamics has anything fundamental or unique to say about the nature of the universe. Let me explain: "System Dynamics" (it seems to me) is about making explicit our "mental models" of how we each think the world works, and converting them into computer models, which can then be used to make predictions. A "good" model makes an accurate prediction, and so on. As a reflection of this, we see that much (all?) of the discussion on these pages falls into just two categories: 1) "What are the key factors affecting Problem X, and how do they fit together?" and 2) "What are the tricks for converting this mental model into a computer model?" In the first case we are not the experts. The people who really know the answers to these questions are the ones who work in each particular field, whether it is healthcare, sustainability, anti-terrorism, car hire, manufacturing controls, corporate incentives, the evolution of language, ... or whatever. But those people may not know what they know, and so we can help them to make their mental models explicit -- to understand what is important and what is not, and to see the wider consequences of their (hidden) knowledge. In the second case, our discussions are about what are the basic building blocks that models can be made out of. As a result our discussions tend to get a bit metaphysical: for example, "Is time discrete or continuous?", "Can SD models learn?", "Is the world full of Bath Tubs?", and so on. This should not surprise us, because in asking "What are the building blocks that models can be made of?", we are really asking "What are the building blocks that we think our universe is made of?". And so our discussions move into the areas of philosophy and psychology -- areas in which (again) we are not the "experts". But perhaps we ARE the "experts" at something: Experts at converting mental models into measurable predictions, in whatever field. And on the principle that "if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck then it probably is a duck" it is probably then safe for us to assume that the universe works in pretty much the same way as our (best) models do. In this way, "System Dynamics" is a useful tool that helps us get a better (scientific) understanding of how any one part of the universe works. MY QUESTION IS THIS: Does the "System Dynamic" view of the world have anything fundamental or unique OF ITS OWN to say about the way the universe AS A WHOLE works...in the way that (say) Complexity Theory might, or Quantum Physics, or Buddhism/Taoism, or Gestalt, or [insert your chosen field here] ? Or is it purely a tool for making manifest what is hidden in other peoples world views of different parts of it ? Many thanks, Finn Jackson From: "Finn Jackson" <Finn.Jackson@Tangley.Com> +44-1483 455313