BCSSS

International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

2nd Edition, as published by Charles François 2004 Presented by the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science Vienna for public access.

About

The International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics was first edited and published by the system scientist Charles François in 1997. The online version that is provided here was based on the 2nd edition in 2004. It was uploaded and gifted to the center by ASC president Michael Lissack in 2019; the BCSSS purchased the rights for the re-publication of this volume in 200?. In 2018, the original editor expressed his wish to pass on the stewardship over the maintenance and further development of the encyclopedia to the Bertalanffy Center. In the future, the BCSSS seeks to further develop the encyclopedia by open collaboration within the systems sciences. Until the center has found and been able to implement an adequate technical solution for this, the static website is made accessible for the benefit of public scholarship and education.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

ACCOMMODATION 1)

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1. "A system’s-environment interaction or process by which the environment satisfies the changing requirements of the system". (B. BANATHY, 1973, p.85).

2. "A temporary or lasting modification of the organism's structures under the influence of external factors" (S. SALTHE, 1989, p.189-208).

These definitions are so different as to be somewhat contradictory. While B. BANATHY sees an interaction, SALTHE sees merely a process within the system. In the first case it is the system that governs the process, while in the second one, it is the environment. The process is probably reciprocal. Evolving symbiosis and co-evolution could be examples.

In any case, functional modifications are as important as structural ones.

On the other hand, accomodation relates to individuals and does not normally become fixed in the genetic type, as LAMARCK would have had it (had he known the existence of genes): accommodation acts on the basic type, but does not modify it.

Accomodation may however become lasting, i.e. lead to assimilation, i.e. it may turn into the basis of a permanent adaptation at the individual level. Later on, for example through etiological adaptation, this may become a factor of future evolution.

Categories

  • 1) General information
  • 2) Methodology or model
  • 3) Epistemology, ontology and semantics
  • 4) Human sciences
  • 5) Discipline oriented

Publisher

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science(2020).

To cite this page, please use the following information:

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (2020). Title of the entry. In Charles François (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics (2). Retrieved from www.systemspedia.org/[full/url]

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