The first textbook on systems thinking written for a broad audience, and now updated for the modern reader, Systems 1 is a perfect introduction to the complex systems that make up the world around us.
Originally written in 1980, it has remained a classic and a mainstay of workshops and classrooms around the world for 40 years. It has been used in courses for gifted middle schoolers as well as graduate programs. It is the introductory text in Roadmaps, the MIT course on systems theory for educators, and has been incorporated into many business and military training programs. The Chinese translation of the 3rd edition is also widely available.
The book begins with a basic summary of systems theory, and proceeds through simple steps to help the reader understand some of the more complex systems that we deal with every day. It concludes with "Kauffman's Rules," 30 proverbs that every systems thinker needs to know.
The 4th edition has been completely updated, including an entirely new chapter on exponential growth.
