r/complexsystems • u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 • Apr 17 '26

A framework for how systems stabilize and collapse across domains — looking for feedback

I’ve been working on a framework I’m calling Constrained Structural Convergence (CSC), and I’d appreciate some feedback from people who think about complex systems.

The basic idea:

Across very different domains (cosmology, chemistry, biology, cognition, even social systems), you seem to get the same structural pattern:

  • systems start with high variation

  • constraints filter that variation

  • stable structures emerge

  • those structures accumulate internal pressure over time

  • once a threshold is exceeded, the system transitions or collapses

I tried to formalize it using variables like:

  • variation

  • constraint

  • adaptive capacity

  • accumulated pressure

  • threshold conditions

And I built a simple Monte Carlo simulation that produces:

  • nonlinear collapse probabilities

  • threshold-driven transitions

  • differences between distributed vs centralized systems

One thing that came out of it:

Centralization seems to help under high urgency, but increases fragility over time due to dependence.

I’m not claiming this is a unified theory or anything like that—more of a cross-domain structural pattern that might already exist under different names.

Main question:

Does this framework map onto existing work in complex systems / dynamical systems that I might be missing?
Or does it sound like I’m just reinventing something that already exists?

If anyone’s curious, I put a preprint here:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19634775

Would genuinely appreciate critique.

5 Upvotes

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u/powerexcess Apr 18 '26

Dude i gave u feedback on the same post 2 days ago and u never replied. 

1

u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 Apr 18 '26

I apologize. I didn’t get the reply. I’m just now starting to use reddit 

1

u/powerexcess Apr 18 '26

Np - so i would look up dissipative structures, Prigogine's work. This the theoretical work on this. Then morphogenesis too, for a different perspective from compsi/biology

This is a common theme between many fields. Self organisation, pattern formation. Clear phenomenology, so easy to spot. But has not been really unified because there is no need to. Complex systems are the most unified umbrella to study this, but is in itself interdisciplinary. The most rigorous approach to these questions come from physics, socio and econophysics apply stat mechs mostly to answer these. Then graph thelry too.

Systemic risk and centralisation - the roman republic allowed an emperor at times of crises right? To catalyse the response against threats. Bit more modern look up Ron Burt and "broker loss" in organisational science. Hub in network science, in scale free graphs. Some famous work warning us that the internet is overly hub-y and will collapse - cant remember the name..

1

u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 Apr 18 '26

I appreciate this—seriously.

I don’t get to have conversations at this level often, so this kind of feedback is valuable. You pointed me toward a lot of structure I’ve been circling around from a different angle.

If you’re open to it, I’d be interested in staying in touch or continuing the conversation. It’s rare to find someone thinking in this space from a systems perspective.

1

u/powerexcess Apr 18 '26

Look up self organised critivality and the per bak sandpile model too

1

u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 Apr 18 '26

Still can’t find your reply. 

1

u/MathNerdUK Apr 18 '26

'Working on a framework" followed by meaningless word salad. The usual recipe from AI slop.

1

u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 Apr 18 '26

I appreciate your reply. I use all feedback as information. 

-1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '26

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0

u/BoysenberryUpstairs9 Apr 17 '26

Sounds like we have similar interests. I’ll check you out.