EXTINCTION
Charles François (2004). EXTINCTION, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1232.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1232 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
The complete and definitive disappearance of a class of systems.
Extinction, as a general concept, express that some class of living beings or organizations has become unfit in a transformed environment, because it could not evolve to readapt to changed conditions.
It is a systemic concept, since it can be applied to dinosaurs, archaic cultures, feudal principalities, or stagecoaches, or even possibly living systems in planets becoming unfit for life. Extinction is heralded by the progressive reduction of the number of members of the class and/or by critical changes in the physical, ecological, technical, economic or socio-political environment.