Systems Thinking as Being‐in‐the‐World

Jonathon Mackay

Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 2025, vol. 42, issue 5, 1439-1448

Abstract: Contemporary systems thinking occurs in an increasingly fractured world. To think about systems is to be a part of a multitude of worlds that possess many inherent contradictions. Although contemporary systems thinking constantly oscillates between universality (i.e., the general systems theory genealogy) and diversity (e.g., the social sciences genealogy), much of the concurrent philosophical inquiry still centres around methodological applications (e.g., the classic ‘hard’ vs. ‘soft’ debate), with ontology seldom receiving the same level of attention. This paper aims to return to a fundamental point: the nature of Being, and its role within the future of systems thinking. Focusing on the concept of ‘Dasein’ (being‐there) proposed by Martin Heidegger, this paper suggests that systems thinking can benefit from the application of a deeper reflection on Being and the multitude of worlds and tasks that individuals concurrently move in and out of. This paper aims to serve as a philosophical note to work alongside contemporary critical systems practice and provides practical guidance as to what a future of systems thinking centred around Being can look like through two main areas: (1) application of systems thinking as a proximal task rather than investigative tool and (2) applied systems thinking uncovering the nature of worldhood within specific Beings. This paper contributes to the concurrent juncture around the future of systems thinking by proposing a path forward that centralises the Self within future research endeavours.

Date: 2025
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