DUALITY
Charles François (2004). DUALITY, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 988.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 988 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics, Methodology or model |
The twofold distinction between opposite aspects in processes.
L. CARLSON-SABELLI and H. SABELLI write: “Many systems theories highlight the existence of dualities, often understood as complementarity. BOHR's wave-particle complementarity is often stressed as a paradigmatic example… Process theory recognizes the existence of harmony and conflict (the union of opposites)… The union of opposites implies that it is incorrect to apply two-valued mathematical logic to reality” (1992, p.680).
This means that complementary opposites are not mutually exclusive in a radical way, but generate together a higher level of complexity.
Avoiding rigid dichotomy, J.van GIGCH defines duality as “two extremes of a spectrum” (1978, p.590).