Content area
Full text
Modelling and analysis of uncertain systems - Part II
Edited by Mian-yun Chen, Yi Lin and Hejing Xiong
1 Introduction
Pansystems theory is formally put forward by Chinese scholar Xuemou Wu in 1976 ([12] Lin, 1995). In the following we will give out the latest interpretation of pansystems theory by Professor Xuemou Wu. Pansystems theory is a pan-netlike academic research on philosophy, mathematics, technology, systems, humanities and poetics, etc. ([2], [1], [9] Wu, 2006a, 2005a, b). The related exploration is developed with the emphasis on generalizing some transdisciplinary concepts or categories and meta-methodological principles (PanConcepts and PanMethods) so as to develop scientific rationality (PanRationality) and combine various thinking modes such as the so-called four-thinkings:
mathematics, physics, logic, science;
systems;
philosophy, dialectics, methodology; and
aesthetics, poetics, intuition, eastern comprehension, etc. ([6] Wu et al. , 2001).
In the pansystems generalization, there is a pursuit to universal considerations of philosophy, mathematics and technology (PMT-combinations, PMT), or pursuit to the relative unity or flexible balance of the universality, exactness and concrete operability or relative feasibility, including the dialectical unity and synthesis of reduction and holism, philosophy and nonphilosophy, mathematics and nonmathematics, the qualitative and the quantitative, including the creative combination between western science and technology and eastern cultures. In our pansystems theory, it is a flexible pronoun or symbol to represent a generalization, extension or deepening development within the framework of 784e or something likes ([2], [8] Wu, 2006a, b; [5] Guo et al. , 2006).
2 Pansystems measures
Measures are the basis of observation and control. We cannot get reliable result without the precise measures, not to say the reliable observecontrol in practice science. Pansystems measure examines things at this perspective and disclosing the essence behind measures and the recognition.
Modern physics tells us that the world in which we live cannot be divided infinitely. The continuous property exists only in theories. In practice, all the knowledge we have about the original world is fragmental. For example, for a given object, we get knowledge of it from different perspectives such as color, shape, weight, living or not, etc. These properties of the object such as color or shape are limited. We can view them as the general measures and the recognition of the object are the measure...