This podcast takes a deep dive into a video that exposes two common misconceptions about systems thinking.
First, the video clarifies that reductionism and systems thinking are complementary analytical tools, not mutually exclusive approaches, each useful in different contexts.
Second, the video explains that “open” and “closed” systems are not distinct types of systems, but rather different perspectives on the same system determined by the observer’s focus on the problem at hand.
The authors then propose an updated systems approach that integrates the strengths of both reductionism and systems thinking to minimize analytical blind spots. Finally, the authors provide a problem-solving process utilizing both approaches to offer a practical application of their updated systems approach.
The video may be found at https://youtu.be/fxZa-qpnAnU