OBSERVER (Collective)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2340 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences, Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
According to K. BAUSCH, “the concept of observer may be considered at three levels
1-as generator of relativity , of subjectivity
2-as architect of models of other systems
3-as multi-systems having components simultaneously belonging to more than a single system, making different systems emergent even contemporaneously, such as occurs in flocks, swarms and social systems“(Glossary-Pers. comm., 2002)
So called collective observers are in most cases also collective actors, agents or operators . In fact, the model could be applied to all collective behaviors .
However such behaviors are frequently quite unstable (or even fickle): flocks, swarms or crowds are easily broken up…and reordered in a different way
In the case of crowds they are notoriously inconstant, unpredictable or apt to be manipulated (a good example is Marc Antonio's discourse to the roman crowd after the murder of Julius Cesar, in SHAKESPEARE's drama)
In fact there is always a shifting and unstable behavioral relation between any individual and the crowd he/she happens to mix up at any time.
Membership itself is frequently dubious and provisional. A reconsideration of the proposed concept in the light of autopoiesis , conversation model and structure coupling seems to be necessary