IDENTIFICATION (Spurious)
Charles François (2004). IDENTIFICATION (Spurious), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1608.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1608 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
The abusive identification of any model with the concrete system it claims to represent.
As a matter of fact, rigorous identification seems to be always spurious, with the possible exception of completely abstract isomorphisms obtained from different sources.
As stated by A. KORZYBSKI, “the map is not the territory”. No model can ever be complete, nor completely accurate. Moreover, models contain hidden assumptions and, in many cases, downright prejudices. Abusive identification may lead to erroneous and even dangerous conclusions about the real situations.
- “Identification” is not given here the significance of “recognizing the identity” (see hereafter).