The concept of "empirical generalization" is introduced, and the processes of evolution on all levels of the Universe are considered. Particular attention is paid to the issues discussed in Chapter 2 of the transition from chaos to order and from order to chaos, as well as the presence at each step of evolution of variation, selection and heredity (the so-called triad of evolution). The concept of bifurcation is introduced. General principles of evolution are formulated, suitable for inert, living worlds and social systems (universal evolutionism). The mechanisms of self-organization processes and the simplest mathematical model of the evolution process are considered. Analyzed view of chance and necessity from the standpoint of synergetics.

I. The term of V.I. Vernard "empirical generalizations" means statements that do not contradict experience. The science, the principles of the cognition of Nature are built on such statements.

Ii. The main empirical generalizations underlying synergetics are:

1. The Universe is a single system in which everything is interconnected, and Man, as part of this system, cannot be separated from it;
2. The role of the observer in this system (1): there is neither an absolute observer, nor an absolute truth. Many observers, physical tools lead to a variety of understandings. But, on the other hand, the totality of minds leads to a certain general vector of understanding, and he, in turn, creates a picture of the world. In other words, the subjective interpretation of the knowable leads to empirical generalizations.

Iii. The concept of universal evolutionism:

1. The Universe is a single self-organizing system: the processes at all levels of this hierarchical system are one and constitute a single global evolutionary process.
2. On all levels of the hierarchy, random processes (fluctuations) occur, causing uncertainty. Or, in other words, stochasticity permeates all floors of the universe.
3. In the Universe, the laws of selection dominate: of the possible (virtual) states remain valid. The laws of selection can be known laws of physics, biology, etc.
4. In the universe dominated by heredity. Empirical generalizations 2), 3), 4) are known in biology, for example, as Darwin's triad: variability, heredity, selection.
5. The selection principle permits bifurcations, that is, a transition to many new states is possible. Hence the unpredictability of evolution.
6. The principle of selection, which was formulated by I. Prigogine: if the conservation laws allow several equilibrium states, then one of them is realized, which corresponds to the minimum entropy growth.
7. The scheme of the evolutionary process looks as shown in the figure ...: from point A to B, the accepted view of the evolutionary process: fast extinguishing fluctuations are observed around the mean, usually evolution ends at point B. In fact, at point B, the system becomes unstable a state is a bifurcation point, further evolution paths C, D, E, E, ... are possible, which sooner or later all come to their bifurcation states. But among these evolutionary paths we can distinguish a narrow corridor of relatively stable states (A), which does not depend on the initial state at point B and is called an attractor (target). Note that in Nature there are such paths of evolution, which, on the contrary, extremely strongly depend on the initial conditions at point B (the so-called attractor).

Iv. Implications of empirical generalizations:

• Heredity is associated with the memory of the system: if the memory of the system is large, then we are dealing with deterministic systems, for example, the laws of motion of the planets of the solar system. If the memory of the system is very small, then we arrive at stochastic systems, for example, turbulence phenomena, weather, etc.
• The presence of bifurcations in evolution leads to the emergence of an increasing number of structural forms (morphogenesis) and to irreversibility. This can be expressed in the brief formula of evolution: ontogenesis (onto - essence, genesis - development) leads to morphogenesis (morpho - form).
• The scheme of the appearance of a new structure has the form: first, fluctuations grow to the macro level, then, due to entropy outflow, the process of self-organization is going on. The transition to new forms (structures) occurs at the bifurcation point for some values ​​of so-called. control parameter. From this scheme of evolution follows the impossibility of predictions.

V. Different forms of morphogenesis at different levels in Nature:

• Spiral shapes. Galaxy - the Milky Way; stars (Sun) - granulation; the atmosphere of the planet - whirlwinds, hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, anticyclones; the living world is the shape of snail shells.
• Hexagonal (hexagonal) cells. Superclusters of galaxies, the structure of cirrus clouds, Benard cells, bee cells, the structure of molecular compounds.

Principles of knowledge of nature. Empirical generalizations

The basis of building modern views on Nature is the assertion: The Universe (World, Nature, Universe) represents a certain unified system, that is, all its elements are somehow connected with each other, and man is an integral part of this system. When studying the properties of a particular object, the researcher is faced with the problem of identifying the object, its localization. The impact on the object of the rest of the system is usually attributed to external factors that are insignificant and fixed. Further neglect the possible impact on the selected object of the observer, who uses a particular instrument of observation. In other words, in the ordinary course of research, an object is considered as an objective reality that exists independently of the observer. Let's pay attention to the conventionality of such an allocation - there are situations in which localization is impossible. At the beginning, this was noticed when studying the microworld, when it was proved by exact experiments that a photon or electron is able to behave both as a particle and as a wave. It turned out that the observer fundamentally can not distinguish the observed object. Properties, for example, of an electron depend on how an observer behaves. If he uses a diffraction grating in the research process, then it is not the electron that is being studied, but the properties of the electron + diffraction grating system. This system allows one to observe diffraction bands, which leads to the conclusion about the wave nature of the electron. If the observer uses the Wilson camera, then the properties of the "electron + Wilson camera" system are studied and, having found traces of flying electrons, he has the right to consider the electron a particle. In the cases considered, two different systems were studied, only they could be localized. Moreover, the systems were a combination of macro- and micro-objects, i.e., two different languages ​​were required to describe the systems. This is where the complementarity principle arises: it is impossible to describe any complex phenomenon using one language.

But, developing the above reasoning further, we come to the postulate: all that is available to our observation is a system, and therefore the observer also belongs to this system, as its element.

Note that the study of the Universe system occurs from within it, and only what is available is accessible to observations. Here we mean the possibility of the consciousness of the observer, inseparable from the developing system.

This conclusion in a completely new light shows the place of the researcher and his possibilities of knowing the world. An outside observer simply does not exist, it is an abstraction that is not always fair. In other words, it is fundamentally impossible to separate the researcher from the object of study; there is neither an absolute observer nor an absolute truth.

Russian naturalist Vernadsky introduced into science a very capacious concept of empirical generalization. This is a subjective interpretation of the known, that is, accessible to observation; or some statement that does not contradict our experience.

But many observers, many different tools lead to many understandings. However, the totality of the minds - collective intelligence - leads to some common vector, to the cumulative multidimensional representation of the picture of the World.

Below is a series of empirical generalizations related to the problem of the evolution of the inert and living worlds, which can be called universal evolutionism. The reader may be recommended to reread the Introduction, where the principles of knowledge of nature and the place of synergy among other methods of understanding the world were also considered.

So, the Universe is a single self-developing system. This statement, almost obviously, does not contradict our experience, allows us to come to some not trivial statements about the role of the Observer, the Absolute Truth, the variety of methods of interpretation, etc.