COLLECTIONS
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 493 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
The status of collections of objects as related to systemic concepts is somewhat ambiguous (R. PATON, 2000, p. 147-159)
There are different types of collections, reflected in collective terms.
A heap of sand has merely vague systemic undertones, and this only since it has become used in relation with chaotic dynamics , unstable equilibrium and power laws . In these cases the systemic behavior of the collection is generally implicit and manifests itself through fleeting episodes.
A swarm of locusts or a school of fishes, or a colony of ants already show more constant common behavior, corresponding to variable degrees of organization emerging of reciprocal constraints .
A similar type or more or less coherent systemic organization appears in collections of humans when not very permanent: conferences or congresses for example.
Biology offers us examples of collections which have an organizing power within complex systems : the genome seems a clear case.
In short, collections seem to be a kind of prerequisite situation or state , while their systemic value depends on the nature- and in cases, the evolution (see for ex. Dictyostelium discoideum) of the relationships among the elements .
See also
Stigmergy, Zero system