Linkage Propositions

The SPT goes beyond proving isomorphy to the meta-level of describing in detail how these SPs influence each other. The mutual impacts are captured in unit statements of how one SP affects another called “Linkage Propositions”.10 They “link” SPs together into one system. We call them “propositions” because they are proven by experiment in some systems, but not all. We stress that they must be continually evaluated and subjected to falsification. The many LPs across the many SPs produce a “system of systems processes” as a general theory. The action of the LPs on the SPs vastly increases the understanding of the dynamics of systems in general –the most important & significant value-added of the SPT. This key & highly significant aspect was and remains missing in the Traditional General Systems Literature Ackoff was the first one to point out that there was a significant omission in the Founders work on a General Theory of Systems. He was a contemporary of many of the Founders and participated face-to-face at their meetings. He was known somewhat as a cynic, yet was respected for his many insights and demands. One of these was that the Founders were not clearly explaining how each one of the several isomorphies affected each other to cause the observed systems dynamics. He did not pursue providing this missing element, but Troncale did, making it his lifework. The resulting SP3T has added the missing component in the original GSTs.