Summary 



The primary fact is that all isolated state-determined 

 dynamic systems are selective : from whatever state they 

 have initially, they go towards states of equilibrium. The 

 states of equilibrium are always characterised, in their rela- 

 tion to the change-inducing laws of the system, by being 

 exceptionally resistant. 



(Specially resistant are those forms whose occurrence leads, 

 by whatever method, to the occurrence of further replicates 

 of the same form — the so-called c reproducing ' forms.) 



If the system permits the formation of local equilibria, 

 these will take the form of dynamic subsystems, exception- 

 ally resistant to the disruptive effects of events occurring 

 locally. 



When such a stable dynamic subsystem is examined intern- 

 ally, it will be found to have parts that are co-ordinated in 

 their defence against disturbance. 



If the class of disturbance changes from generation to 

 generation but is constant within each generation, even more 

 resistant are those forms that are born with a mechanism 

 such that the environment will make it act in a regulatory 

 way against the particular environment — the ' learning ' 

 organisms. 



This book has been largely concerned with the last stage 

 of the process. It has shown, by consideration of specially 

 clear and simple cases, how the gene-pattern can provide a 

 mechanism (with both basic and ancillary parts) that, when 

 acted on by any given environment, will inevitably tend to 

 adapt to that particular environment. 



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