Adaptation in the Multistable System

Continuing our study of types of environment we next consider, after Figures 15/7/1 and 15/8/1, the case in which the subsystems of the environment are connected unrestrictedly in direction, so that feedbacks occur between them. This type of environment may vary according to the amounts of communication (variety) that are transmitted between subsystem and subsystem. Two degrees are of special interest as types: (1) those in which it is near the maximum—the richly joined environment. (The exposition is more convenient if we consider this case first, as it can be dismissed briefly.) (2) those in which the amount is small.