Evolutionary Biology

Maturana and Varela

Maturana and Varela’s theory of Evolutionary Biology suggests that systems are
in fact a living organism, and as such they will behave and respond to change
exactly the same as any other living system.

The primary purpose of a living system is survival. Survival means maintaining
identity at all costs. How a system responds to change depends on how much of a
threat it believes it to be to its identity.

Key Points

Change has to be enough to cause a disturbance in the normal state of affairs if it
is to be noticed.

Change will be resisted and the change agent exterminated if the change is
perceived as too dangerous.

Living systems like routine and predictability. If a change is too disruptive to
routine the system becomes confused and begins to operate in ways that are
destructive and harmful.

Change can’t be imposed. The system itself will decide where change will take
place, and that’s where it’s safest. But that change will spread over time.

Change Selection

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