![Sample our Computer Science journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5928/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Computer-Science.jpg"})
Abstract
This essay deals with the contentious theory/practice relationship, that is, which is “prime”? We note that, whichever view is held on this issue, theory has mostly been neglected in systems science. This has led to confusion within the systems community, and to our near total neglect by other scientific communities. We propose that in what could be considered as a second systems world-view struggle, a framework of analogy can be used to (1) reconceptualize “old” concepts and (2) relate these to theoretical underpinnings, thus promoting consistency, credibility and integrity. We offer two examples of (1), that is, reconcepualizations of the concepts “validation” and “complexity,” that satisfy the requirements of (2).