7/5 THE ULTRASTABLE SYSTEM 



logical writings as if it were merely one way of adaptation, and 

 an inferior way at that. The argument given above shows that 

 the method of trial and error holds a much more fundamental 

 place in the methods of adaptation. The argument shows, in 

 fact, that when the organism has to adapt (to get its essential 

 variables within physiological limits) by working through an 

 environment that is of the nature of a Black Box, then the process 

 of trial and error is necessary, for only such a process can elicit 

 the required information. 



The process of trial and error can thus be viewed from two very 

 different points of view. On the one hand it can be regarded as 

 simply an attempt at success; so that when it fails we give zero 

 marks for success. From this point of view it is merely a second- 

 rate way of getting to success. There is, however, the other point 

 of view that gives it an altogether higher status, for the process 

 may be playing the invaluable part of gathering information, 

 information that is absolutely necessary if adaptation is to be 

 successfully achieved. It is for this reason that the process must 

 enter into the kitten's adaptation. 



7/5. As the kitten proceeds by trial and error, its final behaviour 



will depend on the outcome of the trials, on how the essential 



variables have been affected. This is equivalent to saying that 



the essential variables are to have an effect on which behaviour 



the kitten will produce; and this is * 



Env • 

 equivalent, to saying that in the diagram 



of immediate effects there must be a 



channel from the essential variables to 



the parameters S; so it will resemble 



Figure 7/5/1. The organism that can 



adapt thus has a motor output to the 



environment and two feedback loops. 



The first loop was shown in Figure 7/2/1 ; 



it consists of the ordinary sensory input 



from eye, ear, joints, etc., giving the Fjgure 7/5/1 * 



organism non-affective information about 



the world around it. The second feedback goes through the 



essential variables (including such correlated variables as the pain 



receptors, S. 3/15); it carries information about whether the 



essential variables are or are not driven outside the normal limits, 



83 



