Distinctions
Is
- The behavior of a system cannot be known just by knowing the elements of which the system is made.
- A phrase often attributed to Aristotle
Is Not
Boundary
Systems
Relationships
| Relationship | Concept | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| central to | Systems Thinking | Systems thinking studies how interactions between parts produce behaviors that cannot be understood by examining the parts alone. |
| Illustrated by | The Blind Men and the Elephant | Each blind man examines only a part of the elephant and reaches an incorrect conclusion, demonstrating how understanding parts alone cannot reveal the behavior of the whole. |