The fragmented systems knowledge base is rife with many examples of the conflation of terms that are actually different. For example, conflating terms such as evolution & emergence, or development & evolution. Another set of such terms is growth and development that have dramatically different features and results. Another conflation of terms is the common use of the word “science” for many fields that are actually not systems science, but share many more characteristics of the systems thinking part of the spectrum. A consensus general theory of systems like SPT may help discriminate between use of these currently promiscuous terms.