General Systems Logical Theory is based on the input-output systems paradigm. The language of this theory is now formalized within a categorical framework to create a new hierarchical structure of systems by n-dimensional commutative diagrams. The power of the language is illustrated by the increased expressiveness it provides for categorical concepts themselves.

A mathematical and logical framework for the construction of complex engineering systems by configuration from their component parts is presented. We suggest that this framework may also be useful for defining the class of anticipative systems that occur naturally in the scientific and engineering disciplines. System configuration involves keeping the history of system construction and is carried out by applying combinators to recursively defined system components. A new and simple module concept is defined to manage the complexity of large systems by enabling a reusable system component to be represented and reasoned about at any level of development. 1 INTRODUCTION We offer our framework for the precise specification and construction of engineering and software engineering systems as one in which the class of anticipative systems that occur naturally in the areas of economics, biology and the cognitive sciences, as well as in engineering, may be defined and expressed. The c...