Synergy

The behavior of whole systems unpredicted by the behavior of their parts taken separately -- Fuller's foundational concept and the namesake of his entire system.

Fuller's Definition

"Synergy means behavior of whole systems unpredicted by the behavior of their parts taken separately" (S101.01). More fully: "Synergy means behavior of integral, aggregate, whole systems unpredicted by behaviors of any of their components or subassemblies of their components taken separately from the whole" (S102.00). Fuller stressed that synergy is "the only word in any language having this meaning" (S103.00), and that because society at large is unfamiliar with the word, "we may conclude that society does not understand nature" (S107.00).

Fuller's seed demonstration: two open triangles (positive and negative helixes) associate to form a six-edged tetrahedron enclosed by four triangular faces. By conventional arithmetic one triangle plus one triangle equals two triangles, but synergetically "one plus one equals four" -- the two additional faces are contributed by the complementation of the rest of Universe (S108.01-108.03). His material example is chrome-nickel-steel: the individual tensile strengths of iron (~60,000 p.s.i.), chromium (~70,000 p.s.i.), nickel (~80,000 p.s.i.), and minor constituents (~50,000 p.s.i.) sum to 260,000 p.s.i., yet the alloy achieves ~350,000 p.s.i. as a casting -- "the behavior of the whole completely unpredicted by the behavior of the parts" (S109.02).

Significance in Synergetics

Synergy is the organizing principle from which synergetics takes its name. It belongs to "the family of generalized principles" (S104.00), and Fuller treats it as the explanation for "the eternally regenerative integrity of Universe" (S107.00). The companion words synergy (syn-ergy) and energy (en-ergy) mark the difference between integrated whole-system behaviors and differentiated sub-function study (S105.00). Every alloy, every chemical compound, every gravitational relationship among masses is a demonstration of synergy. Without it, chemistry could not account for the associated behaviors that vanish when compounds are separated into their isolated elements (S106.00).

See Also

• Generalized Principles -- synergy is itself a generalized principle
• System -- the minimum subdivision of Universe, whose properties are synergetic
• Universe -- the totality whose regenerative integrity synergy explains
• Vector Equilibrium -- the zero-phase reference of synergetic geometry
• Tensegrity -- structural synergy of discontinuous compression and continuous tension
• Fuller's Coined & Redefined Terms -- includes synergy
• Synergetics -- the system named after this principle

Sources

• Synergetics -- primary text; S100.00 (Synergy chapter), S101.01 (definition), S102.00 (expanded definition), S103.00-S104.00 (gravity, generalized principles), S105.00 (synergy/energy companionship), S106.00 (chemistry), S107.00 (society's ignorance), S108.01-S108.03 (two triangles into tetrahedron), S109.01-S109.04 (chrome-nickel-steel)
• raw/repos/synergetics.md -- raw source stub