Multiple Systems

The term “multiple systems” was coined to describe the occurrence of multiple, variable interactions involving commonly the same elements and their interchangeability and equivalence, as seen in ecosystems, collective behaviors, and multiple networks. It also relates to the complex dynamics of emergence, such as multiple, partial, tentative, and failing, for instance, in social systems where sequences of acquisitions of multiple roles and properties like cultural, consumerist, familial, political, professional, and religious for single agents overlap and combine one another. More broadly, multiple systems are related to structural dynamics, where the dynamics are related to changes in interaction structures (the way interactions are arranged, organized, or interfere) rather than changes in values regarding the same interaction structure, and different possible cases can occur separately or simultaneously in any combination. In contrast with “complete-able incompleteness”, the changing of multiple interaction structures is intended to be characterized by “theoretical incompleteness,” a property suitable to leave the system provided by such a property in a state of permanent indefiniteness given by multiplicities of combined elements and interactions with parametrical and timing values that are predominantly always different. The multiple versions of such systems are conceivable as a network of possibilities, from which configurations endowed with partial and dynamic coherence are selected, for instance, due to environmental disturbances and the occurrence of random prevalence. Finally, the presence of potential “superimposed” multiple systems associated with pending, inactivated, implicit interactions waiting for suitable environmental conditions, e.g., energetic such as for metastability, to “collapse” in the activation of a specific version, can be considered. This is the case in ecosystems and social systems. Interestingly, the contrast between classical and quantum collapse can be considered. A General Systems Theory ignoring multiple systems should be intended as a case of reductionism having theoretical and practical effects.