Exploration of the relationship of viable systems, identity, and environment: extending the bionic analogy

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of the relationship between identity, the environment, and viability, discussing evolution in viable systems. On a logical structure of argumentative analysis, the article uses cybernetic, and evolutionary theories, for suggesting the way the environment shapes systems. It presents the idea that viability in systems is the result of the selective forces of the environment on the identity of systems. The extended phenotype analogy is presented and explained for viable systems. It suggests the idea that viable systems adapt to their environment. It presents and discusses different adaptive strategies for viability. The idea that viability in systems is related to evolution is not new, but this paper is innovative in the sense that it presents a relationship between viability, environment, and the identity of viable systems. The paper has implications in the understanding of viability in viable systems theory that involves reproducibility, adaptation, identity.