CONNECTEDNESS (Degree of)
Charles François (2004). CONNECTEDNESS (Degree of), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 614.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 614 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
ASHBY discussed the connectedness among elements within complex systems. He insisted that such systems are neither fully connected, nor totally unconnected.
He wrote: “The separation into many parts and the union into a single whole are simply the two extremes on the scale of ”degree of connectedness“. He added: ”Adaptation … demands not only the integration of related activities but the independence of unrelated activities“ (1960, p.l57).
Morevoer, the degree of connectedness may vary in different subsystems and also with time.
Strong or weak connectedness corresponds to the richly or poorly joined systems or environments, in the somewhat peculiar vocabulary of ASHBY.
Finally, the degree of connectedness defines the system's constraints.