POSITIONAL VALUE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2590 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
The value of an element in a system as related to its place in a global structure.
Back to l941, A. ANGYAL stated that:“The members of a system… do not become constituents of the system by means of their immanent qualities, but by means of their distribution or arrangement within the system. The object does not participate in the system by an inherent quality, but by its positional value in the system” (1969, p.20).
While fundamental, this concept should also be put into perspective: To become a part of a certain system, any element must be endowed with some intrinsic characteristics that makes it compatible with the system.
It is the case for example for the immune compatibility of a cell, or the professional, linguistic or cultural compatibility of an individual in an organization.
Moreover, the element, whatever its position, must be activated through a morphogenetic and autopoietic differentiation process, triggered by some few original elements.
See also
Autogenetic systems precursors and Zero system (V. CSANYI).