Organism-Environment System Theory

This groundbreaking work challenges the foundational principles of modern psychology and neuroscience, calling for a Copernican revolution that rejects Cartesian dualism. It introduces Organism-Environment System (OES) Theory, asserting that the organism and its environment do not constitute two separate, interacting entities, but a single, unitary system. Based on over 50 years of empirical research in neurophysiology and experimental psychology, the author systematically deconstructs the methodological flaws inherent in the traditional "two-system" approach—including the false mind-brain, gene-environment, and subject-object dichotomies —and the mechanistic reliance on the information-processing paradigm.The book redefines core psychological concepts, establishing them not as isolated functions located within the brain, but as distinct aspects of the dynamic OES: perceiving is seen as the active integration of surroundings into the OES, where the "stimulus" is not the cause of action, but its consequence. Emotion is the quality of the system's reorganisation—a form of knowing tied to the achievement or failure of results of action. Consciousness is understood as a characteristic of social organisation that emerges from human collaboration and common results.By integrating insights from Spinoza, von Uexküll, Mead, Anokhin and Gibson, this book offers a radical, monistic framework essential for researchers, philosophers, and advanced students seeking a cohesive, non-reductive understanding of mind, matter, and human existence within the natural world. It is well worth considering for both newcomers to psychology and those long engaged with the field.

Timo Järvilehto (b. 1946), Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Oulu (Finland), is a pioneer of systemic psychology who has spent over fifty years bridging philosophical critique with neurophysiological inquiry. His distinguished career spans the Universities of Oulu, Helsinki, Joensuu (Finland), and Marburg (Germany), alongside the Russian Academy of Sciences.Utilising experimental psychophysiology—including electroencephalography (EEG)/event-related potentials (ERP) analysis, human microneurography, and animal neural unit recordings—Järvilehto has provided foundational empirical evidence for the organism-environment system's (OES) central role in explaining mind and consciousness. His extensive number of books and peer-reviewed articles consistently challenge traditional dichotomies, arguing instead for a unified perspective in psychology.His research culminates in this definitive volume. This book reframes the relationship between life and surroundings, offering a transformative future for psychophysiology accessible to students and seasoned professionals alike.