Sensory-motor Routines
The process that absorbs information from a system's environment and transforms it into
signals that the system uses to react and adapt to its surroundings. The sensory
side of the routine processes the information and sends it to the control center that makes
the system's decisions. Information is filtered through as it ascends the sensory routine.
Detailed information from lower levels of a system are generalized to better suit the
requirements of higher levels. After the control center interprets the information from the
sensory routine, it executes the motor process that sends "commanding" information to
the system's components notifying them that they need to take action for the system to interact
with its environment. As information works its way down the system holarchy via the motor
routine, it becomes more specific so that lower holons receive explicit commands that are
within the domain of their capabilities.(Koestler, 1967)
Compiled by
Keith Cunningham kc3@cec.wustl.edu