ORGANIZATION, ORGANISM: A semantic comment
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2426 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
R.W. GERARD tried to put some order among the meanings of different words related to the concept of organization (1950).
He wrote:“The word ”organism“ has been used in two senses; a more specific one, refering to living organisms, and a more general one, which includes as well nonliving systems, possessing certain properties. Since I shall have to use both meanings, I have found useful, to avoid confusion, to introduce the term ”org“ for the broader meaning of organism, and to reserve the full word for the biological subgroup” (1956, p.155).
GERARD did not use the word “organization”, but proposed two other neologisms:
- “animorg”, designating living systems, as opposed to non living ones;
- “epi-organism”, designating colonies or social systems composed of living systems.
Later on, von FOERSTER proposed the term “artorg” to denominate organized artificial systems. None of these neologisms became really accepted… and it seems unfortunate, because they characterized important distinctions.
Moreover, the word “organization” gives also way to at least two different meanings:
- to designate the set of any systems' structures and functions;
- To designate a specific type of human systems, which numerous elements assembled in more or less well defined structures, according to the functional necessities of the system. (See for example A. RAPOPORT & W.J. HORVATH, 1959; M. HAIRE, 1959; G. VICKERS, 1957).