Artur, Normal systems is a label which is probably not very meaningful. If you are referring to "normal" living systems, then the criteria may be relatively simplistic for defining those. Capra suggested (Web of Life) that these criteria are three (to summarize):
Ø The pattern of life, or autopoiesis: a self-making network pattern in which the function of each component is to participate in the production or transformation of other components in the network. The network is organizationally closed, though it is open to the flow of energy and matter. Its order and behavior are not imposed but established by the system itself. It is autonomous, while interactive with its environment through a continual exchange of energy and matter. Their continual self-making includes the ability to form new structures or patterns of behavior. The network is a set of relations among processes of production of components. They must continuously regenerate themselves to maintain their organization. Ø Dissipative structure-the structure of living systems: a system that is structurally open but organizationally closed. Matter continuously flows through it, but the system maintains a stable form, and does so through self-organization. The structure's stability relies on the catalytic loops in the system's autopoietic network that act as self-balancing feedback loops. These catalytic cycles may also act as self-amplifying feedback loops, which may push the system away from equilibrium until it reaches a threshold of stability. Beyond this threshold is the bifurcation point-a point of instability at which new forms of order may emerge spontaneously, resulting in development and evolution. A living dissipative structure needs a continual flow of air, water and food from the environment through the system in order to stay alive and maintain its order. The network of processes keeps the system far from equilibrium and through the feedback loops gives rise to bifurcations, and thus to development and evolution. Ø Cognition-the process of life: the organizing activity of a living organism is mental activity. The interactions of a living organism with its environment are cognitive, or mental, interactions. Life and cognition are inseparably connected. Mind is the essence of being alive. Cognition includes perception, emotion, action, thinking, language, conceptual thinking and all the other attributes of human consciousness. The entire dissipative structure participates in the cognition process. The soul, or spirit, is the breath of life. Cognition is a continual bringing forth of a world through the process of living. To live is to know. Cognition (the life process) consists of all activities involved in the continual embodiment of the system's (autopoietic) pattern of organization in a physical (dissipative) structure. As you probably are aware, Capra's three criteria are synthesized from the works of people such as Prigogine, Maturana & Varela, Bateson and many others. Prigogine primarily contributed this concept of self-organization in non-equilibrium systems. I think that living systems operate in a very narrow margin between equilibrium and chaos. As Joelle pointed out, this is true of Joelle as a living system. I also believe that we can see these same criteria operating in what Maturana and Varela term as a "metasystem." Human communities (and an Open Space meeting is, at least temporarily, a human community) exhibit these traits. As I recall, some of us briefly considered these same ideas a few years ago. Some on this list were quite distressed with this model, though, and it was never examined very thoroughly. Thanks for bringing it up again. here are some links (referring to Prigogine, and the subject) that might be helpful to you in your searching on this topic: http://www.calresco.org/sos/sosfaq.htm#1.1 http://www.wfu.edu/~petrejh4/selforg.htm http://www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/u/jjkay/pubs/futures/tex.html http://www.thymos.com/tat/emergenc.html http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/abeltd/dynampap.htm http://platon.ee.duth.gr/~soeist7t/Lessons/lesson4.htm regards, Doc ------------------ 'Love is helping others to complete themselves'- Bill O'Brien (The Dance of Change) Richard Charles Holloway - P.O. Box 2361, Olympia, WA 98507 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed
