Positive vs Negative Feedback Loops

Biological Parallel

Negative feedback maintains: your body temperature stays near 98.6°F through sweating when hot, shivering when cold. Positive feedback amplifies: during childbirth, contractions trigger oxytocin release, which intensifies contractions until delivery completes. Biology uses negative loops for stability (homeostasis) and positive loops for rapid state transitions (blood clotting, nerve firing, birth). Most organisms are negative feedback systems punctuated by positive feedback events.