BCSSS

International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

2nd Edition, as published by Charles François 2004 Presented by the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science Vienna for public access.

About

The International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics was first edited and published by the system scientist Charles François in 1997. The online version that is provided here was based on the 2nd edition in 2004. It was uploaded and gifted to the center by ASC president Michael Lissack in 2019; the BCSSS purchased the rights for the re-publication of this volume in 200?. In 2018, the original editor expressed his wish to pass on the stewardship over the maintenance and further development of the encyclopedia to the Bertalanffy Center. In the future, the BCSSS seeks to further develop the encyclopedia by open collaboration within the systems sciences. Until the center has found and been able to implement an adequate technical solution for this, the static website is made accessible for the benefit of public scholarship and education.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

DOMAIN of ATTRACTION 1)2)

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"A region in a state space description of a system within which the system behavior is localized indefinitely unless there is a change in system structure or a large exogenous disturbance" (T.F.H. ALLEN & T.B. STARR, 1982, p.266).

This definition corresponds to a regional and temporary specific stability cycle within a more global one.

Domains of attraction have boundaries (separators) corresponding to their influence limits. They correspond to the topological concept of basin.

A variable or a system may escape of its domain of attraction as a result of some exceptional perturbation which puts an end to its specific dynamic stability. This happens through a sudden discontinuity or leap (catastrophe).

It does not however necessarily imply the destruction of the system, which may have alternative possibilities of dynamic stability, within other domains of attraction. If such is the case, the system is said to have resilience.

Many ecological , economic and social systems have variable possible domains of attraction and trade some lesser dynamic stability for a better capacity of survival through resilience, as stated by C. HOLLING (1976, p.81).

Categories

  • 1) General information
  • 2) Methodology or model
  • 3) Epistemology, ontology and semantics
  • 4) Human sciences
  • 5) Discipline oriented

Publisher

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science(2020).

To cite this page, please use the following information:

Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (2020). Title of the entry. In Charles François (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics (2). Retrieved from www.systemspedia.org/[full/url]

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