Law Of Requisite Variety

Theorem
AliasesAshby's Law
Discovered byAshby (1958)

Statement

The Law of Requisite Variety states that for a system to achieve maximum stability, the variety of its homeostatic responses must be equal to the variety of environmental challenges it faces.

Context / Usage

  • In ecology, it implies that more challenging environments require more complex regulatory systems or organisms to maintain stability.
  • Related to the split of energy between Maintenance (dissipated as heat) and Productivity (stored in matter).

Relationships