Linguistic adjustments: Precursors to understanding complexity

There is no well-accepted, coherent language of systems science founded in correlated theoretical and empirical results that enables it to fill the requirements for people to work with complexity. A set of linguistic adjustments is proposed as a way of moving from the present state of the language toward a sorely needed, functional state of discursivity. The goal is to achieve a linguistic state of systems science that is commensurate with the needs of applications in many locales to redesign dysfunctional systems, both small and large, in society. A six-component strategy for achieving this goal is described. The development of discursivity along the proposed lines is keyed to this strategy. Acceptance of these linguistic adjustments could do for systems science what Lavoisier did for chemistry over 200 years ago. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.