Metasystem Transitions

Description

From the Principia Cybernetica project:

"In "The Phenomenon of Science" (Columbia University Press, 1977) it is shown that the major steps in evolution, both biological, and cultural, are nothing else but metasystem transitions of a large scale. The concept of metasystem transition allows us to introduce a kind of objective quantitative measure of evolution and distinguish between evolution in the positive direction, progress, and what we consider an evolution in the negative direction, regress (cf. the direction of evolution)."

(http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/MST.html)

Example

"For example, here is the sequence of metasystem transitions which led, starting from the appearance of organs of motion, to the appearance of human thought and human society:

• control of position = movement
• control of movement = irritability (simple reflex)
• control of irritability = (complex) reflex
• control of reflex = associating (conditional reflex)
• control of associating = human thinking
• control of human thinking = culture "

(http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/MST.html)

More information

• "The Quantum of Evolution", a collection of papers on the topic of metasystem transitions, published as a special issue of "World Futures".