Ebook: Self-Organizing Systems: The Emergence of Order

Technological systems become organized by commands from outside, as when human intentions lead to the building of structures or machines. But many nat­ ural systems become structured by their own internal processes: these are the self­ organizing systems, and the emergence of order within them is a complex phe­ nomenon that intrigues scientists from all disciplines. Unfortunately, complexity is ill-defined. Global explanatory constructs, such as cybernetics or general sys­ tems theory, which were intended to cope with complexity, produced instead a grandiosity that has now, mercifully, run its course and died. Most of us have become wary of proposals for an "integrated, systems approach" to complex matters; yet we must come to grips with complexity some­ how. Now is a good time to reexamine complex systems to determine whether or not various scientific specialties can discover common principles or properties in them. If they do, then a fresh, multidisciplinary attack on the difficulties would be a valid scientific task. Believing that complexity is a proper scientific issue, and that self-organizing systems are the foremost example, R. Tomovic, Z. Damjanovic, and I arranged a conference (August 26-September 1, 1979) in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, to address self-organizing systems. We invited 30 participants from seven countries. Included were biologists, geologists, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, bio­ physicists, and control engineers. Participants were asked not to bring manu­ scripts, but, rather, to present positions on an assigned topic. Any writing would be done after the conference, when the writers could benefit from their experi­ ences there.

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages vii-xix
General Introduction....Pages 1-14
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
On Origins Galaxies, Stars, Life....Pages 17-31
On Rivers....Pages 33-47
Front Matter....Pages 49-52
A Hardware View of Biological Organization....Pages 53-64
The Origin of Self-Replicating Molecules....Pages 65-74
Self-Organization of Macromolecules....Pages 75-111
Is a New and General Theory of Evolution Emerging?....Pages 113-130
Front Matter....Pages 131-132
Virus Assembly and Its Genetic Control....Pages 133-151
Molecular Biology in Embryology....Pages 153-165
Developing Organisms as Self-Organizing Fields....Pages 167-180
The Slime Mold Dictyostelium as a Model of Self-Organization in Social Systems....Pages 181-213
The Orderly Decay of Order in the Regulation of Aging Processes....Pages 213-236
Front Matter....Pages 237-239
On a Class of Self-Organizing Communication Networks....Pages 241-244
Neural Circuits for Generating Rhythmic Movements....Pages 245-263
Ordered Retinotectal Projections and Brain Organization....Pages 265-277
A View of Brain Theory....Pages 279-311
Front Matter....Pages 313-314
Biological Reductionism....Pages 315-324
Instabilities and Information in Biological Self-Organization....Pages 325-338
Programmatic Phenomena, Hermeneutics, and Neurobiology....Pages 339-345
Front Matter....Pages 347-350
Control Paradigms and Self-Organization in Living Systems....Pages 351-397
Front Matter....Pages 347-350
Control Theory and Self-Reproduction....Pages 399-407
Front Matter....Pages 471-474
Synergetics....Pages 417-434
Role of Relative Stability in Self-Repair and Self-Maintenance....Pages 435-443
Broken Symmetry, Emergent Properties, Dissipative Structures, Life....Pages 445-457
Thermodynamics and Complex Systems....Pages 459-469
Front Matter....Pages 471-474
A Thermodynamic Approach to Self-Organizing Systems....Pages 475-488
Interfaces between Quantum Physics and Bioenergetics....Pages 489-497
A Physics for Complex Systems....Pages 499-520
A Physics for Studies of Civilization....Pages 521-540
Front Matter....Pages 541-542
Dynamics....Pages 543-597
Dynamics and Self-Organization....Pages 599-613
Back Matter....Pages 617-649

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages vii-xix
General Introduction....Pages 1-14
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
On Origins Galaxies, Stars, Life....Pages 17-31
On Rivers....Pages 33-47
Front Matter....Pages 49-52
A Hardware View of Biological Organization....Pages 53-64
The Origin of Self-Replicating Molecules....Pages 65-74
Self-Organization of Macromolecules....Pages 75-111
Is a New and General Theory of Evolution Emerging?....Pages 113-130
Front Matter....Pages 131-132
Virus Assembly and Its Genetic Control....Pages 133-151
Molecular Biology in Embryology....Pages 153-165
Developing Organisms as Self-Organizing Fields....Pages 167-180
The Slime Mold Dictyostelium as a Model of Self-Organization in Social Systems....Pages 181-213
The Orderly Decay of Order in the Regulation of Aging Processes....Pages 213-236
Front Matter....Pages 237-239
On a Class of Self-Organizing Communication Networks....Pages 241-244
Neural Circuits for Generating Rhythmic Movements....Pages 245-263
Ordered Retinotectal Projections and Brain Organization....Pages 265-277
A View of Brain Theory....Pages 279-311
Front Matter....Pages 313-314
Biological Reductionism....Pages 315-324
Instabilities and Information in Biological Self-Organization....Pages 325-338
Programmatic Phenomena, Hermeneutics, and Neurobiology....Pages 339-345
Front Matter....Pages 347-350
Control Paradigms and Self-Organization in Living Systems....Pages 351-397
Front Matter....Pages 347-350
Control Theory and Self-Reproduction....Pages 399-407
Front Matter....Pages 471-474
Synergetics....Pages 417-434
Role of Relative Stability in Self-Repair and Self-Maintenance....Pages 435-443
Broken Symmetry, Emergent Properties, Dissipative Structures, Life....Pages 445-457
Thermodynamics and Complex Systems....Pages 459-469
Front Matter....Pages 471-474
A Thermodynamic Approach to Self-Organizing Systems....Pages 475-488
Interfaces between Quantum Physics and Bioenergetics....Pages 489-497
A Physics for Complex Systems....Pages 499-520
A Physics for Studies of Civilization....Pages 521-540
Front Matter....Pages 541-542
Dynamics....Pages 543-597
Dynamics and Self-Organization....Pages 599-613
Back Matter....Pages 617-649
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