![[photo-1577814575782-51b1e900b8c7.jpg]] Photo by [Tom Delanoue](https://unsplash.com/@tom2185?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-lifeguard-tower-on-a-beach-with-the-sun-setting-in-the-background-fW--uiurtxc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) Ecosystem of System Spheres (picture below) shows systems as an ecosystems inside the worlds, acting as a components of whole ecosystem – ecosystem of systems. Systems can emerge, evolve or disintegrate as we described in “[[Power and Knowledge influencing Ecosystem changes]]” article, however they are always part of particular world sphere. They can enrich or harm inter-system or inter-world ecosystem, stabilize or destabilize overall flow of Energy and Matter. All these systems are connected together and share similar patterns and principles as open autopoietic systems, however only #BioSystem, #SocioSystem and #TechnoSystem are cognitive systems. The #EconoSystem is not capable of self-learning and it requires other systems for cognition. All systems (Econosystem, Biosystem, Technosystem, and Sociosystem) are Dissipative systems, far from thermodynamic equilibrium in an environment with which it exchanges energy and matter. ![[Pasted image 20230709104324.png|Figure 1: World spheres and their system spheres]] Detailed studies of the flow of matter and energy through complex systems have resulted in the theory of “**Dissipative Structures**” developed by Ilya Prigogine [1]. > A Dissipative structure is described by Prigogine as an “open system that maintains itself in a state far from equilibrium, yet is nevertheless stable. The same overall structure is maintained in spite of an ongoing flow and change of components”. Prigogine chose the term “Dissipative structures” to emphasize this close interplay between structure and change (dissipation), When the flow of energy increases, the system may reach a point of instability (diagram below "[[World Spheres]] and their characteristics") known as a “**Bifurcation point**” at which it can switch into / create entirely new state where new structures and new systems may emerge. ![[Pasted image 20230709104343.png|Figure 2: System spheres and their categories]] This process is known as “**Emergence**” and in dependency of world characteristics can create new emergent technologies (Internet of Things), life forms (Web of Life), Business Systems (Conglomeration of Businesses) or societies (Society of Relationships). Emergence is an integral part of the dynamics of open systems and has been recognized as the origin of new evolution stages with involvement of new development and learning aspects. This theory helps to understand **complexity of systems** by shifting focus from structures to the process of their emergence. ![[Pasted image 20230709104403.png|Figure 3: World spheres and their characteristics]] Based on the understanding of ecosystems as **autopoietic** networks and dissipative structures, Fritjof Capra formulated a set of principles of system organization that might be identified as the basic principles of world ecology and use them as guidelines to build **sustainable** human communities applying them to machine, social and business systems: **Ecological Interdependence** – understanding ecological interdependence means understanding relationships. It requires shifts of perception that are characteristic of system thinking. From components to the whole, from objects to relationships, from content to patterns. **Cyclical nature of Ecological Processes** – A major clash between economics and ecology derives from fact that nature is cyclical, whereas our industrial systems are linear. Our Businesses take resources and transform them into products. Sustainable patterns of production and consumption need to be cyclical, imitating the cyclical process in nature. To achieve such cyclical patterns we need to fundamentally redesign our business and our Economy (Paul Hawken 1993). Today, economy and ecology are following antagonistic goals characterized as competition / cooperation, expansion / conservation and domination / partnership. This inconsistency leads to misalignment between system speeds and might lead to catastrophic scenarios (global warming, pollution etc.). **Cooperation and Partnership** – Principles of Ecology are defined by different patterns of organization and shows how ecosystems organize themselves to maximize sustainability **Flexibility** – Managing any ecosystem, means finding the optimal values for the system variables. I one tries to maximize any single variable instead of optimizing it, this will invariably lead to the destruction of the system as a whole. **Disturbance** – The world is a flexible, ever fluctuating network. The more variables are kept fluctuating, the more dynamic is the system. The greater is its flexibility, the greater is its ability to adapt to changing conditions. ![[Pasted image 20230709104436.png|Figure 4: World dependency matrix]] This set of principles shows that network of relationships is basic **ubiquitous pattern** in every system and no individual organism / entity can exist in isolation. We recognize horizontal (Inter – World) and vertical (Inter – System) isolation levels (picture above). These isolation levels might cease Inter – World and Inter – System flow of energy and matter, which can lead to system destruction in particular world. --- Communication between these systems continually generates mental images, thoughts and meanings by which it continually coordinates the behavior of its members / structures. This complex dynamics and interdependence defines our culture as network of values and beliefs. This system of shared values and beliefs creates our identity and it is foundation of the social networks, based on “belonging” sense widely spread out and differentiated by various culture identities. Social systems use communication as their particular mode of autopoietic reproduction, supported by self–generating principle. The Language, as an essential system communication platform, connects subsystems together, inside separate systems even today. The language variety and interdependence is system sphere dependent (depicted below). ![[Pasted image 20230709104500.png|Figure 5: Spheres and languages]] In the middle of the picture above, there’s an “Eco” language area, which is also the inter-world translation – communication area (excluding WoL). In this **ecoliteracy** area, we positioned our proposed ecosystem enabled language “CIEL” – Cloud Interaction Ecosystem Language. To learn more about ecosystem language read "[[Foundation of Ecosystem Languages]]" article. ## References [1] PRIGOGINE, ILYA; NICOLIS; SELF-ORGANIZATION IN NON-EQUILIBRIUM SYSTEMS, ISBN 0471024015 ## Related to [[World Spheres]] [[Worlds Reloaded]]