decomposability

"a true system is 'decomposable' into subsystems...that interact with one another. individuals in one subsystem do not have to interact with individuals in another subsystem on the same level." e. o wilson_____________this fits in pretty well with joseph tainter's view that collapse is not a descent into chaos ( although increased violence is probable ) but rather a simplification of complex systems as a reaction to the diminishing returns of increased complexity...subsystems that can operate independently could cushion the event depending on how much direction actually came from the center and how well the subsystem could re-adapt itself to local conditions and limits in terms of self-support rather than those of meeting the center's needs._______________"in their dynamics, hierarchies have a property, near-decomposability, that greatly simplifies their behavior. near-decomposability also simplifies the description of a complex system and makes it easier to understand..." robet a. simon___________how interconnected are the subsystems? even if individuals in subsystems need not interact the subsystems in a complex organization do...and how many of these interactions are controlled ( or even monitored ) by the center? does the center's use of "near-decomposability" simplify the system or just simplify the center's understanding of the system? do some of the subsystems' interconnections subvert the center's control? probably...people are always looking for a better deal...cooperating subsystems could fission off and become competitors of the center...human cognition has its limits and causality in non-linear...made up of literally billions of decisions and actions undertaken by individuals on a daily basis...even the best informed among us can have only the most general idea of what's actually going on...i can't help but think that simon's "near-decomposability" only simplifies the center's understanding of the system..the system remains interconnected, complex, and non-linear...that simplification of understanding is only an invitation to hubris