Peter Putnam (see also here, and his obit at Princeton here) ignited my interest in systems theory, or, cybernetics as then it was termed, during 1965-66 or 1966-67. I was a student at Union in NYC.
During my Junior or Middler year at Union, I sat for Peter's course Contemporary Science and the Philosophy of Religion. Peter was a brilliant and unusual man, a physicist by training and inclination, and a savant in grand unified theory by way of nervous / systems theory.
Peter was a polymath genius, something like Richard Feynman at CalTech, but more so, and religious. We students were amazed that Peter was allowed to lecture at Union but also realized that someone upstairs had a scent for important things, at least some.
He was the talk of the campus, inspired true affection from his students -- but not the faculty -- and later went somewhat the way of T. E. Lawrence: working as a menial, a course in life for which there is sound reason and with which I share sympathy and understanding. I am happy someone has collected his papers online.
That one of my uncles was a career IBM executive had already whetted my appetite for systems theory. My BD thesis at Union explored congruences of Old Testament Theology and Systems Theory.
First Peter Putam and then Robert Theobald and his wife Jean Scott inspired me strongly in the direction of integrating theology and systems theory (cybernetics).
During 1968, while I was interning as Assistant Chaplain at my alma mater, U of Redlands, I met Robert Theobald, whom the Chaplain, at the instance of religion studies students, brought to campus as a speaker. Theobald, who lived with his wife, Jean Scott, in NYC, not far from Union -- Central Park West Village, to be precise, on a 19th floor, corner northwest apartment -- invited me to join some other students and acquaintances of his working a project he wanted to do: Info '68.
Bob was impressed that I could introduce him to a senior executive at IBM. My uncle, as it turned out, assessed Bob as a hustler and, as they say, that was that.
The idea was to inform the electorate about problems and possibilities -- Bob's handle at the time -- facing them. The project did not receive media attention Bob felt was necessary for its success.
However, he, Jean, and I struck up a friendship. I home-sat their apartment in NYC during all of my Senior year at Union (1968-69) and then worked with them in Phoenix and Wickenburg, Arizona for the better part of two years after that.
Bob introduced me to the work of Gregory Bateson and Jean to the work of Jacques Ellul (and here).
From then on I have employed systems language and concepts throughout my life and thought integrating Christian and Vedic Theology.
One might call the work grand unified theory by another name. Sts. Paul, Jerome, Augustine, and the Fathers did the same, using language of classical Greek and Roman Theology to build out catechesis of Christian experience.
What's in a name? That which we call a rose,
By any other name would smell as sweet.
Here is early evidence of that commitment:
