Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 18 August 1978:
Vol. 201. no. 4356, pp. 579 - 582
DOI: 10.1126/science.201.4356.579
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Homeokinetics: A Physical Science for Complex Systems

H. Soodak 1 and A. Iberall 2

1 Professor of physics at The City College of The City University of New York, New York 10031
2 Chief scientist at General Technical Services, Inc., Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 19082

A physical basis for reductionism is put forth in the form of five propositions that bridge levels of organization in natural phenomena. The outlook is that complex systems and processes all have to be traced back to physical law, which applies the only general scientific constraint on reality, but that out of physical law a hierarchy of organization emerges. The basic extension of normal physics in this homeokinetic field form is to complex systems. In such systems the repetitive units of concern are internally complex and exhibit elaborate internal time-delayed processes, for example, memory.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Living history: F. Eugene Yates.
J. Urquhart (2009)
Advan Physiol Educ 33, 234-242
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Identification of Underlying Assumptions is an Integral Part of Research: An Example from Motor Control.
R. Burgess-Limerick, B. Abernethy, and B. Limerick (1994)
Theory Psychology 4, 139-146
   Abstract »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)