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- Embeddedness: A state in which one system is nested in another system.
- Emergence: The appearance of novel characteristics exhibited on the level of the whole ensemble, but not by the components in isolation.
- Enantiostasis is the ability of an open system, especially a living organism, to stabilize and conserve function in spite of an unstable environment.
- Entanglement: A state in which the manner of being, or form of existence, of one system is inextricably tied to that of another system or set of systems.
- Entropy: In physics, entropy is a measure of energy that is expended in a physical system but does no useful work, and tends to decrease the organizational order of the system.
- Environment: The context within which a system exists. It is composed of all things that are external to the system, and it includes everything that may affect the system, and may be affected by it at any given time.
- Evolution: A tendency toward greater structural complexity, ecological and/or organizational simplicity, more efficient modes of operation, and greater dynamic harmony. A cosmic process specified by a fundamental universal flow toward ever increasing complexity that manifests itself through particular events and sequences of events that are not limited to the domain of biological phenomenon, but extend to include all aspects of change in open dynamic systems with a throughput of information and energy. In other words, evolution relates to the formation of stars from atoms, of Homo sapiens from the anthropoid apes, and the formation of complex societies from rudimentary social systems.
- Evolutionary Systems: A form of systems design that responds to the need for a future-Design (ESD) creating design praxis, that embraces not only human interests and life-spans, but those on planetary and evolutionary planes as well. The primary vehicle for the implementation of ESD is the Evolutionary Learning Community (ELC).
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Systems Theory