This is a contribution to an inquiry into the historical meaning of Professor Checkland's soft systems thinking. Heidegger's picture of the present postmodern (or high-modern) epoch provides a context for unfolding that historical meaning. The discussion is focused on the possibility that Checkland's thinking could represent one of the" brief cracks" in the solid neo-instrumental way of appearing (whatever-is-the-case) that characterizes our present epoch.
