How We Understand “Complexity” Makes a Difference: Lessons from Critical Systems Thinking and the Covid-19 Pandemic in the UK
Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7TS, UK
Systems 2020, 8(4), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8040052
Received: 11 November 2020
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Revised: 20 November 2020
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Accepted: 4 December 2020
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Published: 7 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systemic Thinking in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis)
Many authors have sought to summarize what they regard as the key features of “complexity”. Some concentrate on the complexity they see as existing in the world—on “ontological complexity”. Others highlight “cognitive complexity”—the complexity they see arising from the different interpretations of the world held by observers. Others recognize the added difficulties flowing from the interactions between “ontological” and “cognitive” complexity. Using the example of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK, and the responses to it, the purpose of this paper is to show that the way we understand complexity makes a huge difference to how we respond to crises of this type. Inadequate conceptualizations of complexity lead to poor responses that can make matters worse. Different understandings of complexity are discussed and related to strategies proposed for combatting the pandemic. It is argued that a “critical systems thinking” approach to complexity provides the most appropriate understanding of the phenomenon and, at the same time, suggests which systems methodologies are best employed by decision makers in preparing for, and responding to, such crises.
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Keywords:
complexity; Covid-19; critical systems thinking; systems methodologies
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MDPI and ACS Style
Jackson, M.C. How We Understand “Complexity” Makes a Difference: Lessons from Critical Systems Thinking and the Covid-19 Pandemic in the UK. Systems 2020, 8, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8040052
AMA Style
Jackson MC. How We Understand “Complexity” Makes a Difference: Lessons from Critical Systems Thinking and the Covid-19 Pandemic in the UK. Systems. 2020; 8(4):52. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8040052
Chicago/Turabian StyleJackson, Michael C. 2020. "How We Understand “Complexity” Makes a Difference: Lessons from Critical Systems Thinking and the Covid-19 Pandemic in the UK" Systems 8, no. 4: 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems8040052
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