Re: Hierarchies. Again!
(no name) ((no email))
Sat, 20 Apr 1996 09:49:28 +0000
The distinction between hierachies of control or domination,
and evoltionaruly (or otherwise) emergent levels has never been better
handleedd, in my opinion, than by Mario Bungepp 25-26 esp. in Hierarchical
structures , Whyte Wilson & wilson 9eds.) New York Elsevier(1969)
"The key concept is that of emergence or appearance of qualitative
novelty in a process. DEF'N L is a level structure iff it is an ordered
pair L=<S,E> where S is a family of sets of individual systems, E is a binary
relation in S, such that:
L1 Every member of S is a set of systems that are equivalent in some respect.
L2 E is a one-many, reflexive and transitive relation in S.
L3 E represents[mirrors] emergence or coming into being of novelty of
qualitatively new systems in a process.
DEFINITION 5 A set of individual systems consyitutes a level iff it is a member
of the family S of a level structure L. [that is an homogeneous collection
of things constitutes a level provided that neither E nor its converse,
hold among the members of the collection.]"
For more see the original chapter and or Bunge's subsequent work.
Gary Boyd, Concordia univ.
..