International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

D. DUBOIS recapitulates as follows the basic laws of evolution (1990, p.121-26):

1. Fundamental biological law: Embryonic structures of more complex living systems diverge by progressive specification from embryonic structures of less complex ones (von BAER, 1828; Haeckel, 1866).

2. Growing complexity law: In general terms, evolution leads to the emergence of more complex species, principally through the acquisition of a more complex nervous system.

3. COPE's law: Any lineage of species starts with small generic ones endowed with all the basic characteristics of the phylum.

4. Diversification law: Evolutive bursts take place, producing "bushy" ramification of more precisely adapted species, which become dependent of specific environments.

5. Size increase law: Most types tend to evolve toward an increased size, frequently leading to gigantism which difficults further evolution when important environmental changes take place (H, DECUGIS, 1941).

6. Take-over Law: Evolutive cycles repeat themselves for each innovative biological type (orthogenesis), leading to either favorable adaptations, or neutral, or unfavorable ones.

7. Irreversibility law: Evolution never backtracks, Archaic forms never reappear once eliminated (DOLLO's Law).

8. Evolution speed law: In any group, the evolutive rhythm decreases as the group becomes older.

One could possibly add one more law: Evolution is radiative, but historically constrained, i.e. new types appear only as transformations from former ones or, no totally new evolutive lines start ever from "scratch" (M.C. MARNEY and N.M. SMITH, 1964).

These are biological laws, but one wonders if they could not be translated to the evolution of organizations and sociosystems wherein some very similar transformations seem to be occuring through time.