bertalanffy center is making progress
on 10 december the bertalanffy center for the study of systems science (bcsss) held its second general meeting.
as president, i could report to the general assembly that ervin lászló and edgar morin have been appointed members of our scientific council, which makes me really proud.
ervin lászló, born in 1932 in budapest (photo: internet).
edgar morin, born in 1921 in paris (photo: internet).
volume 2 of our bcsss book series “exploring unity through diversity” was published just in time – an essay on spinoza and evolutionary systems theory by rainer e. zimmermann.
gisèle bertalanffy, the widow of felix, the son of ludwig von bertalanffy, donated to the bcsss all diaries kept by ludwig’s wife, maria, written in german. thus another important material about ludwig von bertalanffy’s life is saved for posteriority and open to research. the ludwig von bertalanffy archive is located at the department of theoretical biology at the university of vienna which emerged from the institute ludwig von bertalanffy had been working with during world war II. michel saint-germain, professor emeritus at the faculty of education, university of ottawa, was the bearer who handed the donation over to us.
michel saint-germain showing one diary (photo: manfred drack).
the donation. in the background the portrait of gisèle bertalanffy (photo: manfred drack).
michel held one of two lectures that proved “uncommon sense in thinking society”. while michel criticised the current philosophy of organisations (see here), franz hörmann, associate professor at the department of finance, accounting and statistics, vienna university of economics and business, labeled the systems causing the financial crises “fraudulent systems” (see here).
altogether, i’m sure a new period started for the bcsss.
January 19th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
I am researching a biography of Joseph Henry Woodger (1894 – 1981) who was a close colleague and friend of L. von Bertalanffy. I have some of L. von Bertlannfy’s letters to JHW, mostly from the 1930′s when they were collaborating on the translation of Kritsche Theorie der Formbildung that became Modern Theories of Development. In the biography I am writing there will be a chapter on their relationship and influence on eachother’s work. The Woodger and von Bertalannfy families vacationed together and remained in contact through the 1950s. Now to my questions: When do you anticipate Maria’s diaries becoming available for researchers? Since I live in the USA would it be possible to obtain photocopies of Maria’s diaries for 1930? (I would of course pay any expenses involved.) When I was a doctoral student JHW sent me his entire collection of Ludwig’s letters to him and if you would be interested in them I would be happy to pass them on to you.
With best regards to you and the BCSSS,
Marshall Allen
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:27 pm
dear marshall, that’s great news! thank you for the offer which we certainly will accept! i will consult my colleagues from the center and will immediately come back to you on how we can support you!
wolfgang