organizmat

Organizmat is a term used in theoretical biology and systems theory to denote an integrated, self-organizing unit that constitutes a living system. The term is not widely standardized and may be used variably by authors, often to emphasize organizational principles over material substrate. In this usage, an organizmat is characterized by functional integration across components, maintaining homeostasis, open exchange with the environment, and emergent properties that are not reducible to any single part.

The concept serves to bridge explanations at different levels of organization, from molecules and cells to tissues and ecological associations. An organizmat can refer to natural organisms, but also to artificial or synthetic systems that meet criteria of organization and autonomy. Boundary definition is a central issue: observers may delimit an organizmat by criteria such as metabolic activity, information processing, and control loops.

In practice, discussions of organizmat appear in debates about what constitutes life, autopoiesis, and the levels at which biological individuality emerges. Some critics argue that the term is redundant with existing terms like organism or system; proponents say it clarifies the emphasis on organization as the defining feature.

See also: organism, autopoiesis, complex system, levels of selection.

Notes: The term is relatively obscure and context-specific; readers should consult the source material in biology and philosophy for precise usage.