Cooperative Systems - An Evolution Perspective

Vamos, T. (1983). Cooperative Systems - An Evolution Perspective. IIASA Collaborative Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: CP-83-037

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Abstract

Several coherent trends that originated from different sources can be formalized now as a new and relevant perspective of system philosophy. Even the nomenclature is different -- heterarchical, distributed, cooperative -- but the profound reasons of this evolution are analogous and contain a significant message for understanding the existing and future design.

In this paper we first give a historical-phenomenological survey of the roots of this concept. The survey does not aim to be by all means exhaustive; it serves the better understanding of the process only.

We then analyze the timeliness of the new formulations, why a natural evolution of solutions and ideas are necessary and technologically feasible general methodology just at this period.

Next we evaluate some definitions usable for several abstract model buildings, though definitions are always restrictive and just because of this a more pragmatic application is mostly inevitable.

Finally, we survey those research areas which are related to the concept but an early warning follows concerning handling problems on a not too high abstraction level from the basic considerations about real-life large scale systems.

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