Systems Theory

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Systems_Theory/Introduction

As the link lead me to the incorrect page I typed in ‘systems_theory” instead of ‘systems_theory/” and am choosing off of the list to simply read the introduction.

I’m beginning to understand why it is hard to define the relationship between cybernetics and system theory. My best shot is that cybernetics is dependent on a purpose/goal while system theory can include systems that are conceivably not goal oriented. I’m not entirely sure what a purposeless system is but I’m curious for an example.

What happens if a part of a system that once reacted no longer does so indefinitely? Does that mean it is no longer part of that system?

Is it a coincidence that the study of systems started about the same time digital technology was beginning to be used in art?

Catastrophe theory sounds quite interesting to me.