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de Raadt, J. D. R. (2023) Pensamiento Sistémico Multimodal:
Una Gramática de La Ciencia. Melbourne, Melbourne Centre for
Community Development.
El tema
de este libro es el pensamiento. El autor presenta una forma
de pensar que combina la erudición humanista cristiana de Erasmo, la
filosofía social y las bellas artes de la República Holandesa del
siglo XVII, y los avances más recientes en teoría modal, ciencia de
sistemas y sociocibernética. Su objetivo es enseñar a
sus alumnos a pensar de manera humana y aplicar una ciencia para
servir a su comunidad y vivir con integridad.
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (2023) Multimodal Systems Thinking: A Grammar
of Science. Melbourne, Melbourne Centre for Community Development.
The theme
of this book is thought. The
author presents a way of thinking that combines
the Christian humanist scholarship of Erasmus, the social philosophy
and fine arts of the 17th century Dutch Republic, and the
more recent advances in modal theory, systems science and
sociocybernetics. His endeavour is to teach his students to think in
a humane manner and apply a science –
by which they themselves can live with integrity –
to serve their people.
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Casiello, Francisco et al
(2010) La Problemática Contemporánea del
Agro Argentino: Una Perspectiva Multimodal. Rosario, Universidad
Católica Argentina.
El presente trabajo
confronta una de las grandes dificultades que ha
atravesado la sociedad en los tiempos presentes: el problema
contemporáneo del agro. Se trata de una situación que ha
involucrado a los sectores más diversos de la sociedad y ha expuesto
la necesidad de poder abordar, con una metodología adecuada,
problemas que se caracterizan por su complejidad, entendida como la
presencia de aspectos variados de la problemática, sobre los cuales
las ciencias específicas pueden proveer apenas una visión parcial,
y el carácter plural de los problemas, que hace que sobre una misma
situación se presenten visiones diferentes, incluso contrapuestas.
Con relación a la variedad disciplinar el trabajo ilustra cómo es
posible pensar la relación entre las diversas disciplinas para
tratar de reconstruir una lectura coherente de una realidad social.
En lo que hace a su pluralidad, el trabajo muestra cómo es posible
despejar el origen de estas visiones plurales y mantener los puntos
de vista, a los efectos de poder arribar a propuestas de trabajo que
mantengan la armonía en la diversidad de enfoques. Esta perspectiva
para el abordaje de los problemas sociales se encuentra dentro del
ámbito de la investigación-acción y puede considerarse el primer
libro en español sobre el denominado pensamiento multimodal.
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (Ed. Veronica D. de
Raadt) (2019) A Historical and
Sociological Defence of the Christian Family. Melbourne, Melbourne
Centre for
Community Development.
This book is
divided in two parts. The first part is a
historiological study of the decline of the family during the modern
era. It explores the epistemological origins of this decline brought
about by two opposite forces, instrumental rationality and
subjectivism. The second part explores the parallels between the
biblical view of the family and sociocybernetic principles based on
the functioning of the brain. It argues that humanity can only
function normally when the family is both the building block of
society and its overall model.
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de
Raadt, J. D. R. (Ed. Veronica D. de
Raadt) (2017) The
Rise of Bureaucracy and the Decline of Work – their Roots in the 2nd and 3rd Century Church. Melbourne, Melbourne Centre for
Community Development.
At the beginning of the 2nd
century A.D. the leadership of the church was passed on to the Early
Fathers who began adapting the Gospel to their own Hellenic culture.
Over a period of just one and a half centuries, they converted the
communities founded by the apostles into a bureaucracy and their work
into worship. They also imported theology from neo-platonism and
relegated the natural sciences and the humanities – both essential for
work – to secularism. From then on, Christianity became equally
ineffective to combat the barbarism of Rome, mediaevalism and now
modernity.
This is a study about
how the Early Fathers went wrong. Examining their
writings is no easy task, but it is necessary that we should understand
their mistakes, for they had long lasting effects that extend to our
day. Much of modern individualism, social fragmentation and ambiguity
about what it means to be human are rooted in the Hellenic way of
thinking that they brought into Christendom.
The book has been written for university students, but it is of
interest to anyone concerned about the education of our youth.
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (2015) Information and Managerial Wisdom (Second Edition). Melbourne, Melbourne
Centre for Community Development.
This book examines
concepts of informatics – such as dis-information, noise and
uncertainty generated by global interconnectivity – that explain the
destabilising effect of information technology on society. These
concepts are derived from cybernetics and are pedagogically presented
to provide students an understanding of the social and cultural context
of information. This should help them apply information technology in
subservience to human endeavours rather than the contemporary practise
of the reverse.
...de
Raadt has produced a highly readable text which enjoins us to
modify the approach that we use to solve our world problems. He should
be commended for his effort: it follows in the tradition of famous
predecessors such as Stafford Beer and Geoffrey Vickers who have
trodden similar territory.
John P. van Gigch, California State
University, Sacramento, USA
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de Raadt, J. D. R. and de Raadt,
Veronica D. (2014) From Multi-Modal
Systems Thinking to Community Development: Regaining our Humanity
through Community. Melbourne, Melbourne Centre for Community
Development.
This book is an
edited collection of papers – written by the authors over a period of
twenty years – that describes the transition from a system approach to
thinking to educational programmes focused on community development.
Multi-modal systems thinking integrates the humanities to inspire
people to live fully, socially and ethically. The book covers both
theory and practical application and gives an account of the authors'
design of university programmes and their work in community based
projects and research. It has been put together to serve as a text in
community development, social analysis and methods courses. But it
should be of interest to all professionals including educators, social
workers and community practitioners concerned with the crisis in our
communities and who wish to add a social and ethical dimension to their
practice
...a
very well polished book...a remarkable summary of the historical
thinking... developed over the years and a good collection of some of
the best theory in multi-modal systems thinking.
Luciana Romano
Morilas, University of Sāo Paulo - Ribeirāo Preto, Brazil
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (2013) Intelligent Christianity for an Age of
Folly. Melbourne,
Melbourne Centre for Community Development.
This is a book for
people, Christians and non-Christians alike, who are disgruntled with
the incongruities of post-modernity and who are willing to engage in
some serious thinking to understand what is happening to us and what
should be done about it. The author argues that, despite our material
achievements, modern man has regressed to medieval thinking. He then
introduces the historical reasoning of the Bible and the Christian
humanists to which we are indebted for much of the scientific and
cultural advances of the West. Intelligent Christianity turns out to be
a lay Christianity not only because Jesus instituted it this way, but
because today's society needs it as much as in his times. Although no
quick solution is provided, the author illustrates the practical value
of historical reason through an account of his own application to
redesigning university education in Australia, USA and Sweden.
Offers
a very good foundation to a systemic and truly Christian way of
thinking that merges scientific approach with practice. There is fresh
insights from thinkers like Juan Carlos Vives, Eramus, Melanchton, John
Calvin, and De Raadt itself, that helps to understand better the role
of a real Christian in a real society including all of it's areas. It's
a must read!
Christian M. de Britto, Federal
University of Paraná, Brazil
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de Raadt, Veronica D. (2002) Ethics and Sustainable Community Development.
Parkland,
Florida, Universal Publishers.
Sustainable
communities depend on ethical people. This book explains how
multi-modal systems thinking can be applied to ethical and normative
issues of community life. It also provides a practical way forward by
using the methodology and SmCube software for social systems analysis
and design.
These are presented
in an extensive case study of life in Rosvik, a village in northern
Sweden, where a group of villagers struggle to sustain their village
against the loss of people and economic resources to large industrial
centres of the south. The book examines the predicament which villagers
are struggling with and provides a design of activities to revitalise
the village, challenge its leadership and retain the next generation.
Ethics and
Sustainable Community Design will be of interest to managers, community
activists, social workers and anyone interested in a new scientific
tool that preserves the humanity of community life against
mechanisation and an industrialised world view.
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de
Raadt, J. D. R. (2000) Redesign and
Management of Communities in Crisis. Parkland,
Universal Publishers.
The author presents a method to identify the primary factors that are
threatening communities, to collect information about such factors,
organise it and analyse it. More importantly, leaders can develop
models to examine how factors interact with each other to sustain or to
threaten the viability of a community. These models can also be used to
redesign and manage the community and ensure its long-term viability.
Although solidly based on theory, the object of this book is fully
practical. The method is illustrated with a real life application to
Boden (a town in northern Sweden), furthermore, it incorporates an
especially designed computer modelling tool (separately distributed) to
assist its application.
While the focus is on communities, the method can also be applied to
other social systems, such as business organisations, voluntary
associations, and government departments. The book should be of
interest to managers, project leaders and other community leaders.
...the
appeal of the book should be universal. It basically answers two
questions: a Why? and a How?...Professor de Raadt shows us, with
practical examples, how one can draw on religious convictions to
achieve great things for humanity by realigning community life along
normative lines using his excellent methodology. Do not just read this
valuable and inspiring book; put it to practice!
György
Járos, University of Sydney, Australia
A powerful message, -
insightful and inspiring! De Raadt addresses the nexus between what we
believe and what we achieve. He presents a diagnosis of the crisis of
community, but he also outlines a path to weathering it. This book is a
must for any responsible leader.
Markus Schwaninger, University of St.
Gallen, Switzerland
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (2001) A Method and Software for
Designing Viable Social Systems. Parkland, Universal Publishers.
(Software included in zip file)
This companion book
to Redesign and Management of
Communities in Crisis explains step-by-step a method to identify
the primary factors threatening communities, to collect information
about such factors, organise it, analyse it and design counteractions.
It also includes hands-on tutorial exercises. The presentation is
fully integrated with SmCube, a software package developed to analyse
and design social systems. The integration has two benefits. Firstly,
SmCube assists the systems designer apply the method. Secondly,
SmCube is also a learning tool: it helps new users understand the
multi-modal systems method and methodology. Used together, the
two books and software provide excellent analytical and design tools
for managers, community leaders and corporate planners. They may also
be used as class material for courses in social systems design.
SmCube was developed with support from the Swedish Defence Forces and has been
applied in community project evaluations associated with the European Commission.
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de Raadt, J. D. R. (1998) A New Management of Life. Toronto Series in
Theology (Vol.
75). Lampeter, Wales, Edwin Mellen.
This volume
introduces a new approach to science that seeks to understand life and
its management in a prophetic manner. This approach regards the soul
and the mind as indivisible parts of humanity. There cannot be an
educated mind without an educated soul. It proposes a new model for
management to sustain and develop work, arts, families, government,
industries.
...exposure
to the ideas found in this book will greatly benefit tomorrow's
managers and leaders as they prepare themselves for the challenge they
will face.
R.
G. Goodhew, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Australia
...a
courageous, original, and timely contribution to a forgotten and most
important ethical perspective on systems science and management.
Kristo
Ivanov, Umeå University, Sweden
I
have found de Raadt's work to offer profound scholarly insight into
many of the problems we face today in the management of the Information
Revolution and its impact on society. He provides a uniquely Christian
perspective on systems science, and suggests application to wise living
and management, of the individual and the enterprise.
Douglas Grant, Swinburne University of
Technology, Melbourne, Australia
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