Hegelian Philosophy and System Dynamics
Hadi Akbarzade Khorshidi
Marzieh Soltanolkottabi
Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering,
Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 84156-83111.
Tel: +983113912550, Fax: +983113915516
h.akbarzadekhorshidi@ in.iut.ac.ir, m.soltanolkottabi@ in.iut.ac.ir
Abstract: there are some similarities between Hegelian philosophy and system
dynamics’ theory. Hegel used a systematic view for his theory and generalized it to
all categories. We try to express the similarity between the Hegel’s theory and
system dynamics’ modes. In addition, a system dynamics’ tool as Causal loop
diagram is employed to explain the dynamic trend of Hegel’s system. At last, we
simulate an example of Hegel’s philosophy by system dynamics’ model.
Keywords: Hegel’s philosophy, System dynamics, dialectic method, oscillation
mode.
1. Introduction
“Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflict between right and wrong. They are conflicts
between two rights.”
G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831)
Hegel and his philosophy are well-known in the history of philosophy. This philosophy has a
comprehensive view and has had a lot of effects on other ideologies. About importance of
Hegel’s philosophy should mention that some concepts of his philosophy have been
employed in sociology, legislation, historicism and politics. Moreover Hegel’s dialectic
became a component of Marx theory [1]. Kaufmann in his book stated that Hegel as a
philosopher have had the most effects on west and the perception of contemporary European
history without understanding the Hegel’s philosophy is impossible [2].
In this paper, we try to introduce the Hegelian philosophy by the system dynamics’ tools and
express the similarities between Hegel’s system and system dynamics approach. In the
following section, we describe the concepts and generality of the Hegelian philosophy.
Section 3 introduces the system dynamics and its tools that are used and its modes that are
appeared. In section 4, the similarity between Hegel’s philosophy trend and system dynamics
mode are illustrated and one of the system dynamics tools is employed to interpret the
Hegelian method. Section 5 uses a stock and flow model to simulate the philosophical trend
via an example. In the last section, the summary and results are brought.
2. Hegel’s philosophy
In order to compare and investigate the Hegelian philosophy with system dynamic approach,
it seems necessary to introduce the theory of Hegel and his thinking structure. According to
Hegel’s claim, the Hegel’s theory is a summary of precede philosophies, but the effect of
Greek idealism (like Eleatics, Plato and Aristotle) and Kant’s philosophy on Hegel was more
than the other viewpoints [3]. Hegel didn’t have a tendency to bring a new religion; he
wanted to demonstrate the universal philosophy that transmitted between different eras [4]. In
this section, we try to explain the Hegel’s philosophy and its dimensions, in three
subsections.
1. Logic, nature and spirit
Hegel’s philosophy system includes three categories, 1) Logic, 2) Philosophy of nature, 3)
Philosophy of spirit. These three categories make a triad in the philosophy of Hegel. In the
following paragraphs, each category will be explained summarily.
Logic: Reason is the matter of logic. Reason includes two sets of categories: subjective
categories and objective categories. Subjective categories are tools of human’s thinking
but objective ones have external aspects [3]. In Hegel’s theory, logic is divided into three
parts: 1) Being, 2) Essence, 3) Notion. These divisions are three stages about identifying
things. Being is an explanation about what a thing is and describes the thing as
independent. Essence is an answer to what components and regulations are related to the
thing. Notion analyses the end of thing and development process of it. These three stages
are successive, so that the first stage involves the second one for better description, and
the second stage engages the third for this reason, and the third stage lie under the other
stages [5]. Being doesn’t need to mediators, essence depends on mediators and notion
belongs to a zone that is combined by two others [3].
Philosophy of nature: In this category, the zone of pure thought is passed and the zone of
things, matters and animals is initiated. In nature philosophy, Hegel’s system transfers
from thoughts to things. Hegel tried to create a principle for evolution and excellence of
natural categories based on similarity to reason or idea in the world. According to this,
latter categories are more valuable than former categories and always include the former
ones [3]. The category of nature of his philosophy was not capable to analyze the natural
phenomena. As a result of this category, Hegel made some mistakes and opposed some
famous theories like evolution theory [6]. In Hegel’s theory, natural metamorphosis
accomplishes in three stages: 1) Mechanics, 2) Physics, 3) Organics. In mechanics,
matter has no properties and qualities and is abstract. In physics, matters are being with
properties and qualities but non-organic. In organics, there are three steps: 1) Geological
organism, 2) Vegetable organism, 3) Animal organism; during these steps, nature is
evolving and more complicated existents are emerging [3].
Philosophy of spirit (mind): The spirit is divided into three stages, too: 1) Subjective
Spirit, 2) Objective Spirit, 3) Absolute Spirit. Subjective spirit contains human’s mind,
so the components of human consciousness like feeling, desire, intellect, etc. are
evaluated. In this stage, spirit is a hidden spirit. In objective spirit, spirit comes out from
his original shape and emerges in details. In other word, spirit moves from intemal to
extemal. Ethics and politics are assessed in objective spirit. Absolute spirit is the
collector of two other stages. Absolute spirit is emanated in art, religion and philosophy
[3].
Mind that is discussed in Hegel’s logic is abstract and original. In nature, mind changes to its
external form so that it’s not mind. In the philosophy of spirit, mind returns to its original.
There is an incompatibility between reason (logic) and external world that Hegel named it as
contradiction spirit. Removing this contradiction and unifying the logic and the nature is the
goal of Hegel’s system and the foundation of Dialectic method [5].
2. The Dialectic
Dialectic method is the fundamental concept of Hegel’s Philosophy. In this method, each idea
may have an opposite of idea in itself potentially. For illustration of this method, we employ
the first triad of Hegelian logic: Being, Non-being, becoming. Being has non-being in its
inward. A thing converts to nothing if its properties have been captured. For example a table
without shape, color, rigidity, etc. is indeed nothing, namely, non-being is hidden in being.
The idea of the passage is necessary for passing being and non-being to each other. Existence
of being and non-being simultaneously in a thing is contradiction that becoming solves it.
These three components are named as thesis, antithesis and synthesis that being is the thesis,
non-being is the antithesis and becoming is the synthesis. The synthesis that is produced from
this way could be considered as a new judgment (thesis). Therefore, the opposite of the new
thesis is generated (antithesis). This contradiction reaches a higher unity (synthesis). This
process can be continued for removing contradiction. The Dialectic method is this trend that
demonstrated [3,7].
3. Hegel’s system
Hegel expanded dialectic method in his theory structure and used it in each part of his
philosophy. In fact, each categories of Hegel’s philosophy are formed three components of
dialectic method. In other word, the logic, the nature and the spirit are as thesis, Anti-thesis
and synthesis respectively. The logic passes to the nature, and then the nature becomes the
spirit but this process is dialectical, namely, there are some transients between logic and
nature that it happens via spirit. The goal of Hegel’s philosophy is to decrease the distance
between wisdom (logic) and real world (nature) that it’s possible using the philosophy of
spirit. Due to this goal logic and nature convert to each other.
This trend in each part of Hegel’s theory is observable, namely, Hegel engendered the triad, if
he wanted to introduce each part. For example, as you can see in above, each category has a
triad that follows the dialectical trend. These components and methods composed the Hegel’s
system [3,5].
3. system dynamics
A system is a collection of parts which are integrated to accomplish a goal, and system
thinking is a mindset for understanding how things work. It is a perspective for going beyond
events to looking for patterns of behavior. It is the art and science of making reliable
inferences about behavior by developing a deep understanding of underlying structure [8];
and system dynamics is a method to enhance understanding of complex systems.
System dynamics first introduced in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during
the mid-1950 by Jay Forrester. The concept of the method was to introduce a circular
causality for modeling behavior of complex systems. It deals with modeling a process over
time, so, time is the main variable in defining a dynamic system. In a dynamic system the
feedback process generates the behavior of the system, and time delays in feedback loops
affect its behavior [9]. The art of system dynamics modeling is representing the feedback
process by means of causal loop diagrams and stock and flow structures.
1. Causal loop diagram
Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) are a system thinking tool for representing the feedback
structure of systems. These diagrams show how variables in the system affect each other.
CLDs are excellent for [10]:
= Quickly capturing your hypotheses about the causes of dynamics;
* Eliciting and capturing the mental models of individuals or teams; and
= Communicating the important feedbacks you believe are responsible for a
problem.
In causal loop diagrams, the relation between variables is shown by arrows connecting one
variable to another denoting the causal influences among the variables [10]. These arrows can
be labeled as positive or negative. Positive relationship refers to 'a condition in which an
increase in one variable value responds to the other variable value with a positive increase’,
and Negative relationship refers to ‘a condition in which an increase of one variable value
responds to the other variable value with a decrease’ [11].
A positive feedback loop is a loop which have an even number of negative causal links, and
a negative feedback loop is one which have an odd number of negative links. Positive
feedback loops are also called reinforcing loops while negative loops are called balancing
loops [11]. Reinforcing loops are associated with exponential growth and balancing loops are
associated with reaching plateau.
An example of a causal loop diagram is illustrated in figure 1. As shown in figure 1, an
increase in population increases the number of birth, and an increase in birth rate increases
the overall population, so, this is a reinforcing loop. In the contrary, an increase in population
increases the number of deaths, and then the population decrease, so, this is a balancing loop.
NL
Birth rate Population Death rate
ROR
Figure 1: An example of causal loop diagram
2. Stock and flows
Stock and flow diagrams are another means for representing the behavior of the system which
help you assign equations to the relationships between variables. In Stock and flow diagrams
stock is represent the quantity of variable while flows represent the rate of change in
inventory [9]. These diagrams provide a general way of representing a process.
A stock variable is related to time point and measured at one specific time which may have
been accumulated in the past. A flow variable is related to time intervals and measured over
an interval of time. Therefore a flow would be measured per unit of time [9].
In stock and flow diagrams, stock (level) is shown by a rectangle and flow occurs into and
out of the level, decision function determine the rate of a flow and acts as a valve in the flow
channel. An example of a stock and flow diagram is illustrated in figure 2.
{
© O06
birth rate . rate
Figure 2: An example of stock and flow diagram
3. Patterns of dynamic behavior
In the real world it happens many times that we think a system is in a stable situation but after
a while it goes out of control. These dynamic behaviors show the feedback structures
generating them. The systems approach deals with similar patterns of behavior show up in a
variety of different situations, and the underlying system structures that cause these
characteristic patterns.
The most fundamental patterns of behavior are exponential growth, goal seeking, and
oscillation [10]. In the following paragraphs we will have a brief review on these patterns of
behavior.
Exponential growth: Exponential growth is representative of positive feedback loops.
In this mode of behavior the larger quantity of variable leads to faster growth and
change. In exponential growth an initial quantity of something starts to grow, and the
rate of growth increases. The term exponential comes from a mathematical model for
this increasing growth process [12]. Figure 3 shows an exponential growth diagram.
Performance
Time
Figure 3: Exponential growth diagram
Goal seeking: Negative feedback loops are generators of goal seeking. Goal seeking
moves the state of the system to meet the goal and represents how a certain state is
managed so as to reach a given goal. In this mode of behavior correction action
eliminate any discrepancies between the state of the system and goal. If the current
level of the variable is above the goal, then the loop structure pushes its value down,
while if the current level is below the goal, the loop structure pushes its value up.
Figure 4 shows a goal seeking diagram.
Goal
Performance
bo
Time
Figure 4: Goal seeking diagram
Oscillation: Oscillation is one of the most common modes of behavior in dynamic
systems [10]. Oscillation refers to a behavior in which the values of the stocks vary
around some average value in a repeating pattem. The same as goal seeking,
oscillation is representative of negative feedbacks.
In an oscillatory system, corrective actions are taken to eliminate any discrepancies;
but in contrary with goal seeking, in an oscillatory system, the state of the system
overshoots and undershoots its goal and so on. This different pattern is the result of a
significant delay in part of the negative loop, so the quantity of interest fluctuates
around some level and the degree of oscillation is usually impacted by the delays in
the process. Figure 5 shows the behavior of an oscillatory system.
Performance
Time
Figure 5: Oscillatory system diagram
There are different types of oscillation such as, damped oscillations, limit cycles, and
chaos. In the real world many oscillations are damped oscillation [10].
Damped oscillations behavior is essentially a combination of oscillations behavior and
asymptotic behavior [11]. In damped oscillation, the state of the system oscillates
around the goal and the gap between the equilibrium and stock value decreases,
gradually. The behavior of a damped oscillatory system is illustrated in figure 6.
Performance
Time
Figure 6: Damped oscillatory system diagram
4. Similarity between Hegel’s philosophy and System dynamics
Hegel tried to summarize the previous philosophies and dig up the components and
relationship between them, indeed system thinking is employed to interpret philosophical
theories. In Hegel’s system, the categories are not considered as separate and isolated and
they are even influenced by each other. Hegel divided the whole to parts and components and
established a method to explain the relations. In this system, the first simple terms are used
for understanding the complex succeeding terms.
1. Comparing the Hegelian philosophy with damped oscillation pattern
The pattern of Hegelian dialectic is similar to the behavior of damped oscillatory systems. As
shown in figure 7, when a new thesis is generated, after a while an antithesis which opposes
to the current thesis will be generated in the lower level. The confliction of thesis and
antithesis will generate synthesis that is less excessive than the current thesis and antithesis,
so the synthesis will be situated between thesis and antithesis in diagram. The generated
synthesis indeed is the new thesis. This process continues till there is no antithesis generated.
Thesis
Synthesis = Thesis
Antithesis
Time
Figure 7: The oscillation pattern of Hegelian dialectic
2. Defining the Hegelian philosophy with causal loop diagrams
In the Hegelian philosophy, the relationship between thesis, antithesis and synthesis can be
illustrated as a causal loop diagram. This relationship is shown in figure 8.
The connection between thesis and antithesis is negative; when the level of thesis is high, it
causes the lower antithesis to be generated. If we consider a thesis as a stock and assume that
the current thesis occupies high level of stock, then antithesis as opposed to the current thesis
will occupy a low level of stock. So, we can consider the relationship between thesis and
antithesis as a negative relationship. In the contrary, the relationship between antithesis and
synthesis is positive; when the antithesis is in a low level, it results in the synthesis that has a
lower level than the preceding thesis. As a result, the lower antithesis pushes the synthesis to
the lower level, so the relationship between the antithesis and the synthesis is positive. A
synthesis can be considered as a new thesis, so, we can conclude that the impact of synthesis
on thesis is positive and the arrow which has connected synthesis to thesis should be labeled
as positive relationship.
+
B .
2 J thesis
Figure 8: The causal loop diagram of Hegelian dialectic
5. System dynamics model
In this section, we try to illustrate the Hegel’s system by using an example and make a system
dynamics model for this sample. This example is from Sophie’s World book [14]. In this
book, the Hegel’s dialectic method is employed to show how different philosophical theories
are emerged. When a new theory (thesis) is announced, after a period another theory against
the first theory (antithesis) is revealed, therefore, in future a new theory will be made that is
medial and has good points from the two others (synthesis). This trend continues while there
is no antithesis. For example, contrast between rationalism and attitude to experience,
Descartes in his philosophy focused on reason and rational support, but Hume considered to
value of experience, so that he discarded rational analyses and concentrated on experimental
results. As a result of these two viewpoints, Kant revealed his theory that was an intermediate
theory and includes the two others.
We make system dynamics model for this example, so that it can simulate the trend of the
theory’s alteration. This model is shown in figure 9.
New Philbsophy
Thesis Philysophy AntithgSis Philosophy
Extremity of Philosopher
Figure 9: System dynamics model for state of philosophy
In this model, a new philosophy is emerged, so the state of the philosophy pushes to the
thesis. Due to there is delay to generate an antithesis, current philosophy tends to reinforce
the new philosophy. According to the extremity of state of philosophy, antithesis emerges.
The antithesis will be more severe, if the severity of the thesis be more. This adjustment
applies by the variable of extremity of philosopher, namely, this variable inbreed the severe
antithesis when the intensity of the thesis in the state of philosophy is high and vice versa.
After the delay of antithesis, the philosophers that are the admirers of the thesis try to bring a
new synthesis that it causes a new antithesis. These interplays are continued in so far as there
is no antithesis. Therefore, the system comes to balance at the goal of the philosophy. The
output of the model is exhibited in figure 10, this figure shows the oscillation mode of the
state of philosophy that conforms to the dialectic method.
BD 4: state of Phi
1: 7
26:00 a 7550 7
ae ?
Figure 10: The output of the model
As you can see, the system would be balanced when there is no antithesis for the last
philosophy (synthesis). It must be mentioned that our purpose in modeling the Hegelian
philosophy is to simulate this theory via the system dynamics tools. The equations of this
model are listed in table 1.
Table 1: Equations for stock and flow diagrams
(1) _| Initial (State of philosophy) =no philosophy
Thesis philosopher = DELAY (IF(State_of_Philosophy<Goal)
(2) | THEN(Extremity_of_Philosopher*A BS(State_of_Philosophy-Goal)) ELSE(0),2,1) +
New_Philosophy
(3) Antithesis philosopher = DELAY (IF(State_of_Philosophy>Goal)
THEN(Extremity of Philosopher*A BS(State_of Philosophy-Goal)) ELSE(0),2,1)
(4) __| Extremity of philosopher = Graphical function that has an output (0,0.9)
(5) New philosophy = Graphical function that works as a pulse, its time is equal to emergence of
new philosophy
6. Conclusion
The aim of this paper is to highlight the similarities between Hegel’s philosophy and system
dynamics, and in doing so, use the casual loop diagram to interpret the dialectic method. In
addition, the stock and flow model is employed to simulate the procedure of Hegel’s
philosophy. As a result, we show an oscillatory trend with delay in Hegelian method via this
model. Future works will focus on using more accurate empirical data on how can interpret
Hegel’s theory. Besides, this article can be as a basis for new roadmap of MIT system
dynamics in education project, so that the system dynamics can be more understandable for
philosophy students.
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