1. Introduction to the Handbook of Systems Sciences

The Handbook of Systems Sciences reflects the work of scholars whose thinking and practice cross a wide spectrum of disciplines. The intent of this handbook is not simply to be an overview of knowledge domains, but is the marking of milestones in their development. The formal study of systems, cybernetics, and complexity all date back to the early twentieth century. The principles on which those domains were founded trace back millennia. The chapters contained in this handbook describe the evolution of theories, and applications in practice, across familiar disciplines including engineering, management, ecology, education, and design. The hope for this work is to provide foundations on which future researchers and scholars can build.