Ontic openness: An absolute necessity for all developmental processes

Søren Nors Nielsen and Robert E. Ulanowicz

Ecological Modelling, 2011, vol. 222, issue 16, 2908-2912

Abstract: The physicist Walter M. Elsasser is mostly known for his work on the Earth's magnetism. Less attention has been paid to his efforts toward identifying what are the real differences between physical and biological systems. One essential distinction he recognized was that physical systems are largely homogenous while biological systems always revealed what he called ordered heterogeneity. Calculation of the possible configurations of such heterogeneous systems almost always leads to combinatorial explosions and to what Elsasser referred to as immense numbers. Such calculations have the consequence that any such systems are necessarily unique – mathematically speaking they represent one-sets.

Keywords: Evolution; Development; Ageing; Entropy; Ontic openness; Elsasser; Adjacent possible; Punctuated equilibria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:16:p:2908-2912

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.05.012

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