NONSPECIFICITY
Charles François (2004). NONSPECIFICITY, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 2313.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2313 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics, Methodology or model |
A type of uncertainty brought about by the existence of a set of alternatives.
G. KLIR states: “Nonspecificity is exemplified by the HARTLEY measure in classical set theory: the greater the set of alternatives that are left undecided in a situation (e.g. predictions or prescriptions), the less specific the situation is; when only one alternative is possible, the situation is fully specified” (1991, p.118).
Nonspecificity can easily remain unrecognized in complex situations, leading to underconceptualization (WARFIELD) and serious mistakes in diagnosis, forecasts, design and planning.