Deep ecology means accepting systems thinking in the sense that the processes taking place in the world follows a pattern or cyclus, and are interlinked and dependent upon each other. It is acceptable to see ecological thinking and systems thinking as the same.
Science has evolved in the same direction – scientific knowledge is increasingly seen as systems knowledge. Biological units are seen as systems, societies can be seen as systems. Things are placed together and they work together, they are connected, have relationships, fit in a context. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts alone. Analysis of detail is out and context is in.
Ecology means household – there are functional relationships between the parts of the biosphere – they have led to the Gaia systems view of the Earth.
Two new concepts are now firmly established: network and community. The old idea of web of life is coming back to us as it has to do with the interwovenness and interdependence of every phenomenon on Earth. Network models of cell systems and organs are used now and organisms are placed in hierarchies of nature. Networks also have nodes, and each node can be seen as an organism, all positioned in a larger system.
The systems concept of networks will lead us into the future!