The Axiom of Structural Over-Order: Endogenous Fragility in Complex Adaptive Systems

Title Endogenous Fragility in Complex Systems: The Axiom of Structural Over-Order Abstract Complex adaptive systems are commonly assumed to fail due to insufficient coordination, disorder, or lack of control. This research note proposes an alternative hypothesis: systemic collapse frequently emerges from the absolutization of internal order, which suppresses adaptive variance and reduces a system’s capacity to respond to environmental change. This paper introduces the Axiom of Structural Over-Order, formulated by Bernd von Mallinckrodt, which states that systems do not primarily fail due to a lack of order but due to the excessive consolidation and rigidification of internal structures. The axiom forms the conceptual foundation of the Mallinckrodt Cycle, a systemic lifecycle model describing how increasing structural compression can gradually reduce adaptive capacity and ultimately lead to systemic rigidity. To operationalize this concept, the framework introduces the Compression–Resonance–Tension Index (CRTI), a diagnostic metric intended to measure systemic fragility by relating structural compression, environmental resonance, and systemic tension. The proposed framework is situated within the broader tradition of cybernetics and complexity science, building conceptually on: Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety exploration–exploitation dynamics in organizational learning resilience theory in complex adaptive systems The Axiom of Structural Over-Order suggests that resilience in complex systems does not arise from maximizing efficiency or control but from maintaining structural permeability, redundancy, and adaptive variance. Future research should empirically test the relationship between structural compression and systemic fragility across organizational, economic, and socio-technical systems. Keywords Complex Systems Cybernetics Complex Adaptive Systems Systemic Fragility Endogenous Fragility Structural Compression Organizational Resilience Adaptive Capacity Mallinckrodt Cycle CRTI Systems Theory Nonlinear Dynamics Optional: Recommended Zenodo Categories Falls du Kategorien auswählen musst: Primary field Complex Systems Systems Theory Secondary fields Cybernetics Organizational Theory Nonlinear Dynamics Optional: Related concepts Falls Zenodo nach “related concepts” fragt: Ashby Law of Requisite Variety Exploration vs Exploitation Resilience in Complex Systems Systemic Risk