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EDC1015 Assignment 02
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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EDC1015SEMESTER 1: ASSIGNMENT 2 UNIQUE NO.: 801459
SYSTEMS THEORY AND CRITICAL THEORY BOTH HAVE TO DO WITH “SYSTEMS”
What is Critical Theory?
Critical Theory can in short be defined as “the method of formal inquiry” [RW. P67&74]. This means
that it is a system or a method that questions all other existing social, economic and political
systems.
It strives to abolish all social and economic inequalities. “Critical Theory can be said to be a form of
social criticism.” [RW. P67.]
Critical theory expresses how any form of power or any power structure and social structures can be
dangerous and destructive. It also theorizes that the role of power structures does not only influence
the economic, social or political life, but they can influence one’s thoughts and the way people think
as well. According to Critical Theorists, the media (like social media, television, internet, etc.) has an
influence on individuals and their means of thinking for them self. They are manipulated by these
means in order to convince people to do things that serves interest to the wealthy and the powerful,
and sometimes in these situations, people do not even realize that they are being manipulated for
the gains of others.
Critical Theorists argue that knowledge is not something that must be manipulated or influenced by
the rich and powerful in a society, it should be common grounds to all and should be available in any
situation in everyday life. Gaining knowledge shouldn’t be a fight against wealthy or powerful
people, it should be easily accessible. Our need for knowledge is a basic human need which must not
be hard to be fulfilled.
Probably one of the most well-known structures of Critical Theory is Marxism.
Critical Theory has its advantages, like being able to identify those in power and those who do not
have any power. It allows the identification of the relationship between weakness and power. It also
allows the identification of power and weakness within yourself as an individual, and allows you re-
evaluate certain aspects of your life. But Critical Theory can also quickly lead to extremes – either to
total oppression of a group of people or it could break out into total anarchy. Reasons for this are
because Critical Theory tends to undermine and ignore that which makes us human, like emotions
and desires, but yet believes that all people are trapped by modern society and wants to emancipate
every person from the role of oppression.
, Systems Theory on the other hand -
Systems Theory sees things as a whole, rather than splitting things into parts and also encourages us
to keep the objective of a system in mind. That means that the System Theory has a simplistic
philosophy that expresses the intent that everything can be described as a system with a significant
function, as well as its own problems and outcomes. It’s an abstract way of thinking and can be
applied to observe and identify problems rather than try to reform the world.
Bertalanffy is responsible for the development of the Systems Theory and stated within his theory
that, “Everything has to be studied as a system in order to gain true understanding. The mistake
science had made was that it had studied parts of systems on their own, and not systems as a
whole.” [RW. Bertalanffy. P.65]
In other words, instead of looking at something in fragments to try and gain more knowledge on the
subject, one must look at it as a whole, in order to get the “bigger picture”. Splitting something up
into parts does not necessarily make something easier to understand or study. One must have the
picture of the whole system in mind.
Another concept of systems theory is the belief that every system is connected and works together
but each in a certain order, and that each individual system have specific goals. They also theorize
that each system has inputs which are taken and used to turn them into outputs, in this process
every system absorbs and generates some sort of energy.
Systems Theory is in many ways problem-solving. The world, along with human activities and other
processes are means of problem solving.
In difference to Critical Theory, System Theory doesn’t criticise, but rather identifies the problem
and tries to see it from a different perspective and claims that there are plenty of different
perspectives from which to view these problems.
There’s also emphasis on the complexity of problems and the various ways in which these problems
can be solved, but that we are limited by our understanding of these problems, because our
understanding of problems are more often than not, incomplete.
“Any system is part of the wider world.” [Tut. P.25.]
The above quote reveals that the System Theory implies that every system is connected and in
constant interaction. At the same time they all make a part of something bigger – a bigger system
that encompasses all the other systems.
The problem with System Theory is that it is over-strenuous to relay the most simplistic of messages.
This, along with the abstractness of this theory makes it sometimes difficult to be practical in
everyday life. It’s also very passive – it has no intent on changing the world and ridding it of evil,
instead it just identifies the problems at hand regarding power structures and prefers that things
remain unchanged.
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