Meta-Synthesis System Approach to Knowledge Science

Meta-synthesis system approach (MSA) is proposed to tackle with open complex giant systems (OCGS) problems by Chinese system scientists since the late 1980s. Its essential idea can be simplified as from confident qualitative hypothesis to vigorous quantitative validation. To apply this approach, the synthesis of human expert opinions and emergent knowing, machines’ powerful computing capacity and the available knowledge and cases are specifically emphasized from the perspective of systems engineering practice. Then the MSA practice may bring new understandings, knowledge and even paradigms about messy and unknown issues, which are under exploration in knowledge science research. In this paper, MSA to knowledge science is addressed. After brief introduction of meta-synthesis approach, a working flow of MSA during problem solving process is addressed and leads to meta-synthetic view toward knowledge science, especially on knowledge creation. Next comes brief introduction to a test for demonstrating the MSA to a macroeconomic problem, which shows a new paradigm to macroeconomic problem solving, a kind of knowledge creation which is different from general macroeconomic problem solving.