Equifinality is the principle that in open systems a given end state can be reached by many potential means. The term and concept is due to the German Hans Driesch, the developmental biologist, later applied by the Austrian Ludwig von Bertalanffy, the founder of general systems theory, and by William T. Powers, the founder of perceptual control theory. Driesch and von Bertalanffy prefer this term, in contrast to "goal", in describing complex systems' similar or convergent behavior. Powers simply emphasised the flexibility of response, since it emphasizes that the same end state may be achieved via many different paths or trajectories.
In closed systems, a direct cause-and-effect relationship exists between the initial condition and the final state of the system: When a computer's 'on' switch is pushed, the system powers up. Open systems (such as biological and social systems), however, operate quite differently. The idea of equifinality suggests that similar results may be achieved with different initial conditions and in many different ways.[1] This phenomenon has also been referred to as isotelesis[2] (from Greek ἴσος isos "equal" and τέλεσις telesis: "the intelligent direction of effort toward the achievement of an end") when in games involving superrationality.
^Cummings & Worley, Organization Development & Change, Thomson, 2005, p. 87.
^R.B. Zajonc, Feeling and Facial Efference: Implications of the Vascular Theory of Emotion. 1989, p. 16 http://psychology.stanford.edu/~lera/273/zajonc-psychreview-1989.pdf Archived 2007-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
general types of equifinality are distinguished: process equifinality (concerned with real-world open systems) and model equifinality (concerned with conceptual...
level of nesting, and in a wide range of fields for achieving optimized equifinality. General systems theory is about developing broadly applicable concepts...
German Known for Developmental biology Neo-vitalist philosophy of entelechy Lebensphilosophie Equifinality Scientific career Fields Biology and philosophy...
studies are useful in situations of causal complexity where there may be equifinality, complex interaction effects and path dependency. They may also be more...
characteristic of equifinality involved, it is hard to know when the system of the Interactional View is happening or not. Equifinality is the systems theory...
within the family. He subscribes to the systems notions of wholeness and equifinality, both of which are critical to his notion of change. An essential trait...
termination. Having the domestic coalition in mind, according to The Equifinality of War theory, there can be three kinds of obstacles to peace. The first...
Foote, Yolanda L.; Swantesson, Jan O.H. (January 2010). "Geomorphologic equifinality: A comparison between shore platforms in Höga Kusten and Fårö, Sweden...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities." Neil Thomson argues that the likely aboriginal population...
Universal Paperclips, an incremental game featuring a paperclip maximizer Equifinality Friendly artificial intelligence Instrumental and intrinsic value Overdetermination...
correct on the basis of tradition Philosophy of science#Coherentism Equifinality – Principle in systems theory Scientific method – Interplay between observation...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities. Pedro, Nicole; Brucato, Nicolas; Fernandes, Veronica; André...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities." The qpGraph analysis confirmed this branching pattern...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities. Shinde V, Narasimhan VM, Rohland N, Mallick S, Mah M, Lipson...
rationalist methods. Due to a focus on events involving causal complexity (equifinality, complex interaction effects and path dependency), historical institutionalist...
Connectionism Consciousness Cultural system Embodied embedded cognition Equifinality Human ecosystem Model of hierarchical complexity Postcognitivism Self...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities." Genetics and material culture support repeated expansions...
doi:10.1002/hyp.10082. ISSN 0885-6087. Beven, Keith; Freer, Jim (2001). "Equifinality, data assimilation, and uncertainty estimation in mechanistic modelling...
41, 240-258. Doty, H. D., Glick, W. H., & Huber, G. P. (1993). Fit, equifinality, and organizational effectiveness: A test of two configurational theories...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities." "Almost all living people outside of Africa trace back...
Hiscock, Peter (2004). "Slippery and Billy: intention, selection and equifinality in lithic artefacts" (PDF). Cambridge Archaeological Journal. 14 (1):...
sister group of Tianyuan, cautioning that this may be just one out of six equifinal possibilities." Genetics and material culture support repeated expansions...
organizational life cycle as an evolutionary process, which calls for a variety of equifinal organizational solutions. Enterprise life cycle Small Business SME Tuckman's...
correlations such as HiTOP is their inability to handle the multifinality and equifinality of developmental processes. Co-occurrence among mental disorders, often...
significant even after controlling for psychological comorbidities. Though equifinality may seem counter-intuitive, it is consistent with multifactorial etiological...
complexity: KKV fail to consider problems of causal complexity, such as equifinality, multiple interaction effects, feedback loops, path dependency, tipping...
Global Information