Concept · Systems Thinking
Non-Linearity
Origin: Systems thinking
Biological Parallel
Add a single degree of temperature and a cell functions normally. Add one more and proteins denature, membranes rupture, the organism dies. Non-linear systems exhibit thresholds where small inputs trigger massive outputs. Predator-prey cycles show this: remove just enough predators and prey populations explode; remove one predator too many and the ecosystem collapses into an alternative stable state. Linear thinking assumes proportional responses; biology teaches that small changes can flip entire systems.