Systems theory has had three ages as I see it. Cybernetics came out of nuclear war and RAND, complex systems came out of globalization and Santa Fe, and the third age is keyed to planetarity, with AI as its technology and philosophy as its core discipline. Yes, a philosopher thinks philosophy is the core discipline. Shocking.
How the word moved
In May 2025 I only had two ages, cybernetics and then a physics-dominated complex systems theory. In February 2026 the three-age scheme arrived. By March 2026 I was saying the Third Systems Age needs the earthworm's view.
In my words
"Now we are at the third age of systems, and in my mind the most important one yet."
from The Planetarity Syllabus. Governing the Planet, Part 3: The Planetary Steward, 26 Feb 2026
Related
- Related perfectionism and productionism - Cybernetics was the first marriage of the two.
- Related planetary philosophy - It's the core discipline of the third age.
- Related polycrisis - Polycrisis belongs to the second age.
- Related earthworm view - The third age needs it.
Still open
I don't know what the central institution of this third age is. None comes to mind yet.