C. West Churchman

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Charles West Churchman (August 29, 1913 – March 21, 2004) was an American philosopher in the field of management science, operations research and systems theory. He is internationally known for his pioneering work in operations research and system analysis.

Churchman has been cited by Noam Chomsky as the only professor from whom he learned anything as an undergraduate.

[edit] Biography

Churchman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and studied philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1935, a master's in 1936, and a PhD in 1938, all in philosophy. Before completing his dissertation, in 1937, he became Instructor of Philosophy, also at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon finishing his degree, he was appointed Assistant Professor at the University, and, in 1945, was elected Chairman of the Department of Philosophy.

In 1951, Churchman moved to the Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, and until 1957 he was Professor of Engineering Administration at Case. In 1957, he joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley and remained there until his retirement. He also served as the first editor-in-chief of the journal Management Science in 1954.

During the 1960s, Churchman became an alcoholic. His subsequent involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous provided a great deal of theoretical material for his future writings, as well as a rich source of anecdotes.

During the 1980's, Churchman became one of leading advocates within the Peace and Conflict Department at UC Berkeley, where he integrated his pioneering work related to systems management and peace work. One of his graduate assistants, Charles Vaughn, Jr.,(aka Alade Djehuti-Mes) stated that “West”was particularly concerned about the failure of the world leaders to solve the high death rates of children in Africa from the various diseases, wars and malnutrition.

The tools which Churchman provided these students was monumental based on the reports of peace works they were involved in as well as the gratitude they demonstrated towards him. Churchman's teaching were so popular that his classes had overflows with an annual end of the year event in Bolinas.

In 1989, Churchman was elected president of the International Society for the Systems Sciences. His work was further honored through three honorary doctorates given to him by Washington University in St. Louis in 1975, the University of Lund, Sweden in 1984, and the Umeå University, Sweden in 1986.

Churchman died in 2004 in Bolinas, California.

[edit] Work

Churchman authored some 24 books:

(1938) Towards a General Logic of Propositions, Ph.D. Dissertation.
(1940) Elements of Logic and Formal Science, J.B. Lippincott Co., New York.
(1940) Euclid Vindicated of Every Blemish, Translator, Saccheri's.
(1946) Psychologistics, Russell L. Ackoff.
(1947) Measurement of Consumer Interest, ed. by C. West Churchman, Russell L. Ackoff , and M. Wax.
(1948) Theory of Experimental Inference, Macmillan, New York.
(1950) Methods of Inquiry: Introduction to Philosophy and Scientific Method, with Russell L. Ackoff, Educational Publications, St. Louis, Missouri.
(1956) Costs, Utilities, and Values, Sections I and II.
(1957) Introduction to Operations Research, (with Russell L. Ackoff, E.L. Arnoff et al.) J. Wiley and Sons, New York.
(1959) Experience and Reflection by Edgar A. Singer, Jr., ed. by C.W Churchman.
(1959) Measurement: Definitions and Theories, ed. by C.West Churchman and P. Ratoosh.
(1960) Management Sciences, ed. by C.West Churchman and M. Verhulst.
(1960) Prediction and Optimal Decision, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
(1968) Challenge to Reason, McGraw-Hill, New York.
(1968) The Systems Approach, Delacorte Press, New York.
(1971) The Design of Inquiring Systems, Basic Concepts of Systems and Organizations, Basic Books, New York.
(1975) Systems and Management Annual 1975, ed. by C.W. Churchman.
(1975) Thinking for Decisions: Deductive Quantitative Methods, Science Research Associates, Chicago, Illinois.
(1976) Design Methods and Theories, C.West Churchman, guest ed.
(1976) World Modelling: A Dialogue, ed. by C.W. Churchman and R.O. Mason.
(1979) The Systems Approach and Its Enemies, Basic Books, New York.
(1982) Thought and Wisdom; The Gaither Lectures, Intersystems Publications, Seaside, California.
(1884) Natural Resources Administration: Introducing a New Methodology for Management Development, ed. by C.West Churchman, A.H. Rosenthal, and S.H. Smith.
(1989) The Well-Being of Organizations, ed. by C.West Churchman.