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Phenomenological domain

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Principia Cybernetica
Encyclopedia Autopoietica

 

Principia Cybernetica (web)
defined by the properties of the unity or unities that constitute it, either singly or collectively through their transformations or

interactions. Thus whenever a unity is defined or a class of unities is established which can undergo transformations or

interactions, a phenomenological domain is defined. (Maturana and Varela, 1979)

 

Encyclopedia Autopoietica
A phenomenological domain is "...defined by the properties of the unity or unities that constitute it, either singly or collectively through their transformations or interactions." (Maturana & Varela, 1980, p. 137; Varela, 1979a, p. 46) This term is a general explanatory construct denoting the realm within which a unity's static and dynamic realization may be manifest, as opposed to the realm(s) within which a unity's actual ontogeny is manifest. Phrased another way, with respect to a unity, its associated phenomenological domain is the abstracted, explanatory analogue of its ambience -- its actual medium of realization (as opposed to an observer-ascribed environment within which it can be observed to operate).

In effect, the notion of phenomenological domain serves as the closest thing to an "ontological foundation" for a system of interest, and therefore provides the basis for addressing that system. This fundament, however, is not given a priori; rather, it is contingent upon the observer or observer-community addressing the system of interest. "The criteria of distinction used by an observer-community establish the kinds of entities to be studied, and thus the phenomenologies that are considered relevant. Once a class of entities is specified through a criterion of distinction, a phenomenology is concomitantly born, and this is all that is necessary for the existence of a phenomenological domain." (Varela, 1979, p. 107) A phenomenological domain is more general than a domain of interactions (defined primarily with respect to coupling) or a cognitive domain (defined primarily with respect to interaction as an observer).

Cf. cognitive domain, domain of interactions, phenomenology (1.; 2.)

 

International Encyclopedia of Systems & Cybernetics
no def.