STATE (Initial)
Charles François (2004). STATE (Initial), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3178.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3178 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
- “The first state in a line of behavior” (W.R. ASHBY, 1960, p.20).
Starting from the initial state, “A line of behavior is specified by a succesion of states and the time-intervals between them” (Ibid). This seems to be a simplified deterministic view.
However, initial states are generally complex, made of various (or numerous!) interacting initial conditions. J. CASTI observes that it is “impossible, practically speaking, to know a system's exact initial state; it is effectively uncomputable” (1994, p.114).
See also
Garden of Eden