Abstract
We introduce the concept of virtual stability, defined as a system’s ability to gain in flexibility and maneuverability by using self-monitoring in order to maintain itself in a state that would normally be unstable. After presenting a general description of virtual stability we look at a number of examples and outline a simple cellular automata model that is being used to explore virtual stability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Biblography
W. Ross Ashby (1958) Requisite variety and its implications for the control of complex systems. Cybernetica 1, 83–99.
Stephen J. Gould (1989) Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History. NY: Norton.
Paul Bach-y-Rita (2002) Tactile-sensory substitution in blind subjects. Presented at Tucson 2002: Toward a Science of Consciousness, April 8–12, 2002.
Vivien Burr (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism. London: Routledge. p. 146.
Thomas L. Friedman (2000) The Lexus and the Olive Tree. NY: Anchor.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 NECSI Cambridge, Massachusetts
About this paper
Cite this paper
Voorhees, B. (2008). Virtual Stability: A Principle of Complex Systems. In: Minai, A.A., Bar-Yam, Y. (eds) Unifying Themes in Complex Systems IV. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73849-7_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73849-7_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-73848-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-73849-7
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)