CRITICAL SYSTEMS AND THE PROBLEM OF PLURALISM

Abstract

In integrating the system of systems methodologies into critical systems theory, the possibility that critical systems is plural has been considered. Pluralism is on approach to methodology selection that embraces paradigm commensurability on a theoretical level. Pluralists therefore claim that their work is extraparadigmatic. Thus critical systems, if plural in its approach to methodology, marks a significant departure from the Kuhnian world-view approach and the associated idea of paradigm incommensurability. This paper explores pluralism in greater depth; and argues that the concept is fundamentally flawed and that critical systems is a new paradigm that can offer a fresh world-view and a methodological approach of real practical use to researchers.