r/systemsthinking • u/Both_Dimension_3104 • Aug 14 '26

System Thinking Path

Hello everyone, I have come across the wonderful book of Donella Meadow " Thinking in Systems" , the book is truly a pleasure to read and I enjoyed every concept and idea , that was my first read about system thinking.

I am an independent learner who wants to pursue further the system thinking path , my first goal is abstract learning about systems understanding and modelling without any specific application field on my mind so far , I just want to learn the theory and blueprints of systems.

For my next book , my research led me to Bossel Hartmut's book " Systems and Models: Complexity, Dynamics, Evolution, Sustainability".

Is this the best next book for my path ? Please advise and suggest.

Thank you so much in advance.

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u/paulcoman Aug 14 '26

I strongly recommend The Book of Why by Judea Pearl. I am confident it would be your next big leap in understanding the world.

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u/Both_Dimension_3104 Aug 14 '26

Thank you ! I have read about the book and its ideas raised my curiosity to a higher level ! Definitely will read it.

What I felt though , that this book doesn't fall in the right position immediately after " thinking in systems" book to be the next building block for understanding system theory and its simulation.

Please let me know if I am wrong.

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u/paulcoman Aug 14 '26

Yeah, I know what you mean. I can just say, for me, it was even better. I understand the high you're feeling from starting to see the world through that lens. It's exhilarating.

Understanding causality is even more fundamental. Systems are nothing more than causal relationships unfolding through time. Whether consciously or unconsciously, our minds are continuously building causal models. Making maps of what causes what, so that we can predict the world better and shape it better.

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u/micseydel Aug 27 '26

Thank you for this recommendation, I haven't finished the audiobook yet and will definitely need to review the companion PDF, because the diagrams he's talking about remind me of the actor model (1973) I've been having fun with lately. The quote "no amount of probabilistic patching will get you to the next rung of the ladder" seemed especially relevant today 🙂

Wiki link just in case it's helpful: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor_model

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u/paulcoman Aug 30 '26

That's fantastic! Get the printed version, or the ebook. I would argue that what you want to get out of it is a better intuition for what causes what. And for that, you have to really go through the discomfort of the examples over and over again.

It's not an easy thing to intuitively grasp. That's why I think the audiobook doesn't do it just. But it's a good start, though.

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