TINKERING
Charles François (2004). TINKERING, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3580.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3580 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences, Methodology or model |
The process of upbuilding of more complex systems by introducing some new features in already existing forms
This concept has been proposed in his 1982 book by the french biologist F. JACOB as a fundamental process in biological evolution.
Tinkering is of course done through “trial and error ”. In living systems , “trials”are mutations, and “errors ”are those mutations which are directly lethal or introduce negative factors which finally lead a species into a dead end.
Tinkering seems also to play an important role in the evolution of man-made objects and techniques in general.
It would be interesting to study the possible role of tinkering in social innovation and evolution.