OPERATOR
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2358 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
- “A transformation or transition rule mapping initial states upon subsequent states” (F. HEYLIGHEN, 1990a, p.426).
The operator determines “… a time-parametrized trajectory in the state space representing the states of the system at subsequent instants” (Ibid).
The concept of operator is close to the one of algorithm. An operator is a specific part of an algorithm. Its total or partial activation at some moment depends on the dynamics of the constraints.
- “An operator corresponds to a distinction between the state before the operator was applied and the state afterwards” (Ibid).
In a recursive machine, as for instance a TURING machine, the operator is the significant element, not the input, which is merely the trigger. The input must however be “legible” by the operator.
The previous comment suggest interesting parallelism with human “operators”.
J.L.LE MOIGNE advocates for the development of a specific notation for different types of systemic operators, as for example:
- the recursion operator, proposed by E. MORIN
- the distinction operator (G. SPENCER BROWN)
- the autonomy operator (F. VARELA)
- the combinators (H.B. CURRY)
He also mention the conservation symbols used by J. FORRESTER in his Systems Dynamics (1990, p.115).