On the foundations of systems
The project on the “Metaphysics of Emergence” has yielded a milestone. Scientific Council member Rainer E. Zimmermann published the first volume of a three-volumes book publication on the topic.
The manuscript was finalised during Zimmermann’s stay in Vienna as Researcher in Residence last year. It deals with philosophical and mathematical foundations of complex systems. Metaphysics means in that context that mathematics can help us understand what we call the world; however, our experience goes always beyond that which can be said about it. That’s in line with Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s research ambitions: to mathematise as much as possible but resort to natural language whenever mathematics fails.
