Complexity and system thinking, a comparative approach

Advancing concepts such as emergence, edge of chaos and adaptation, Complexity science provide new perspective on human and social phenomena and put forward novel accounts. Describing and justifying behaviors of many socio- technical systems are somehow impossible without applying complexity insights.The main focus of the paper is differences between system thinking and complexity science. A critical- Comparative approach would be adopted. Following the approach, some relevant theoretical texts on system thinking and complexity are critically examined particularly from teleological point of view.It is maintained that fundamental aspects of difference come down to eight dimensions. These areas could show potentials and limitations of two approaches and provide big pictures of both.