Glossary_of_systems_theory

# Glossary of systems theory ## Links (Wikipedia order)  `Adaptive_capacity` · [[Alexander_Bogdanov]] · [[Allenna_Leonard]] · `Allopoiesis` · `Allostasis` · `American_Society_for_Cybernetics` · [[Anatol_Rapoport]] · [[Anthony_Wilden]] · `Arthur_Koestler` · [[Autopoiesis]] · [[Barbara_J._Grosz]] · [[Biological_system]] · [[Black_box]] · [[Béla_H._Bánáthy]] · [[C._West_Churchman]] · `Cascading_failure` · [[Charles_A._S._Hall]] · `Charles_François_(systems_scientist)` · [[Chemistry]] · [[Claude_Shannon]] · [[Closed_system]] · [[Complex_system]] · [[Complexity]] · `Conceptual_model` · [[Control_theory]] · [[Coupled_human–environment_system]] · `Culture` · [[Cybernetics]] · [[Donella_Meadows]] · [[Doubling_time]] · `Dynamic_equilibrium` · [[Earth_system_science]] · `Economic_system` · [[Ecosystem]] · [[Edsger_W._Dijkstra]] · [[Edward_Norton_Lorenz]] · `Embedded_system` · [[Emergence]] · `Enantiostasis` · [[Entropy]] · `Equifinality` · [[Eric_Trist]] · [[Evolution]] · `Evolutionary_systems` · [[Feedback]] · [[Francisco_Varela]] · `Fred_Emery_(psychologist)` · [[George_Dantzig]] · [[George_Klir]] · `Glossary_of_Unified_Modeling_Language_terms` · [[Gregory_Bateson]] · [[Heinz_von_Foerster]] · [[Heterarchy]] · [[Holism]] · `Holon_(philosophy)` · `Homeorhesis` · [[Homeostasis]] · [[Howard_T._Odum]] · [[Humberto_Maturana]] · [[Ilya_Prigogine]] · [[Information_system]] · [[Isolated_system]] · [[James_Grier_Miller]] · [[James_J._Kay]] · [[Jay_Wright_Forrester]] · [[Jennifer_Wilby]] · [[John_Seddon]] · [[Kathleen_Carley]] · [[Katia_Sycara]] · `Kenneth_E._Boulding` · [[Kevin_Warwick]] · `Learning` · [[Limiting_factor]] · [[List_of_systems_sciences_organizations]] · `List_of_systems_scientists` · `List_of_types_of_systems_theory` · [[Living_systems]] · [[Ludwig_von_Bertalanffy]] · [[Lydia_Kavraki]] · [[Manfred_Clynes]] · [[Manuela_M._Veloso]] · [[Margaret_Boden]] · [[Margaret_Mead]] · [[Mary_Cartwright]] · `Metastability` · [[Mihajlo_D._Mesarovic]] · `Mike_Jackson_(systems_scientist)` · [[Multi-agent_system]] · [[Murray_Bowen]] · [[Negative_feedback]] · `Negentropy` · [[Nervous_system]] · [[Niklas_Luhmann]] · [[Norbert_Wiener]] · [[Open_system_(systems_theory)]] · `Organism` · [[Peter_Senge]] · [[Positive_feedback]] · [[Principia_Cybernetica]] · `Problem_structuring_methods` · [[Qian_Xuesen]] · `Quantum_entanglement` · [[Radhika_Nagpal]] · [[Recommender_system]] · `Reductionism` · `Russell_L._Ackoff` · `Ruzena_Bajcsy` · [[Self-organization]] · `Social_system` · [[Sociotechnical_system]] · `Soft_systems_methodology` · [[Stafford_Beer]] · `State_variable` · `Steady_state` · [[Stephanie_Forrest]] · `Structural_functionalism` · [[Structure–organization–process]] · `Stuart_Umpleby` · `Sustainability` · `Synchronicity` · [[Synergy]] · [[System]] · [[System_dynamics]] · `Systemics` · `Systems_analysis` · `Systems_art` · [[Systems_biology]] · `Systems_design` · [[Systems_ecology]] · [[Systems_engineering]] · [[Systems_neuroscience]] · [[Systems_pharmacology]] · `Systems_philosophy` · `Systems_psychology` · [[Systems_science]] · [[Systems_theory]] · `Systems_theory_in_anthropology` · [[Systems_theory_in_archaeology]] · [[Systems_theory_in_political_science]] · [[Systems_thinking]] · [[Talcott_Parsons]] · [[Twelve_leverage_points]] · [[Urban_metabolism]] · `Victor_Aladjev` · `White-box_testing` · `World-systems_theory` > Summary stub · part of [[System]] · [Wikipedia source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_systems_theory) ## Summary The Glossary of Systems Theory is a comprehensive reference document that defines and explains key terms, concepts, and terminology used in [[Systems_theory|systems theory]] and [[Systems_science|systems science]]. It serves as a foundational resource for students and practitioners seeking to understand the precise language and technical vocabulary that characterizes the field. This glossary covers concepts ranging from basic terms like "[[Feedback|feedback]]" and "boundary" to advanced notions like "[[Autopoiesis|autopoiesis]]," "[[Emergence|emergence]]," and "strange attractors." By standardizing definitions across the interdisciplinary systems science field, it enables clear communication among researchers and practitioners working in diverse domains. ## Key points - Comprehensive reference for systems theory terminology and concepts - Covers foundational terms (feedback, boundary, state) and advanced concepts - Enables standardized communication across systems science disciplines - Bridges terminology between mathematics, biology, [[Engineering|engineering]], and social sciences - Essential resource for students and practitioners in systems fields ## Relation to System This glossary is a meta-level resource that defines the language used to describe and analyze systems themselves. It documents the shared vocabulary that allows systems researchers across disciplines to communicate precisely about system properties, behaviors, and dynamics. ## Sources - [Glossary of systems theory — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_systems_theory) Back to [[System]] ---  ## Semiotic profile > *The semiotic universals this article invokes, machine-derived from the crossref — **unverified** (born so). Populated 2026-07-06 for the Systems room.* **Universals (5):** 🟡 system (17) · 🟡 science (4) · 🟢 feedback (3) · 🟢 emergence (2) · 🟢 attractor chaos (1) **Enter by sign:** Systems Semiotic Gateway · Alphabetum · Icon Registry · ← Systems Portal  ## Wikipedia : Wikitube **Strict pair:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_systems_theory) : [Wikitube](https://en.wikitube.io/wiki/Glossary_of_systems_theory) ## Previous hub tags Tree parent: [[Systems_theory]]. Legacy hubs: none. --- *Sources: 1 legacy note. Minted wave 1, 2026-07-30 (v1.6 order).*