The Functionality of the Real World

The purpose of the development of the unicist functionalist approach to science was to define the actions that make “things” work. It is based on the use of functional knowledge to manage the real world that integrates the know-how and the know-why of “things”. This approach was developed by Peter Belohlavek at The Unicist Research Institute to make a scientific approach to adaptive systems and environments possible, going beyond empirical approaches, including the forecast of their evolution.

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The unicist approach to functionality affirms that there is nothing in the universe, which is part of a system, that does not work with a purpose, an active and entropic function, and an energy conservation function.

This structure works through unicist binary actions (UBA) that produce the functionality of any entity or process, whatever its kind.

This approach uses the unicist ontological framework to describe the triadic functionality of the fundamentals of “things” defined by a purpose, an active function, and an energy conservation function. It provides the functional knowledge, which allows defining the binary actions that make “things” work.

The unified field of an entity or process needs to be managed to ensure its functionality.

The functionalist approach allows apprehending the functionality of the triadic structure and binary actions of adaptive systems. It requires having the specific operational knowledge. Its validation is based on the use of destructive and non-destructive tests.

Functionality: The Bridge between Principles and Operation

The unicist functionalist approach to science required developing the unicist logic, which is an emulation of the intelligence of nature. The unicist logic defines the “intelligence” of things by describing their functionality. After years of applications and research, it was extended to explain and manage all the things that are part of the real world.

The functionality of things is defined by a triadic structure that includes three functions, which are a purpose, an active and entropic function, and an energy conservation function. The functionality is driven by binary actions following the supplementation and complementation laws.

Functionality is the bridge between the “physical” world and the “metaphysical” world. Functionality allows transforming principles into operation. The functionalist approach gave birth to a new category of knowledge named functional knowledge that was added to the preexisting scientific and metaphysic knowledge. Some examples will make the functionalist approach to science evident. 

Example 1:
The Triadic Functional Structure and Binary Actions of Airplanes

The purpose of flying an airplane can be considered to move from one airport to another.

The active function is given by its propulsion and the energy conservation function is given by the lift provided by the wings.

The binary actions to make an airplane fly begin by producing the propulsion that generates the necessary speed of the airflow on the wings of the airplane to generate the lift.

Example 2:
The Triadic Functional Structure and Binary Actions of an Electric Motor

The purpose of an electric motor is to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. DC motors and AC motors are based on the same essential principles that define their triadic structure.

Their active function is based on transforming electrical energy into magnetic energy.

The energy conservation function transforms magnetic energy into mechanical energy.

The binary actions of the process are, on the one hand, the transformation of electrical energy into magnetic energy and, on the other hand, the transformation of the magnetic force into mechanical energy.

These processes happen within the rotor and the stator of an electric motor.

Example 3:
The Triadic Functional Structure and Binary Actions of a Written Sentence

Unicist semantics deals with the meaning of words and sentences by understanding and managing their functionality. It defines that a sentence is a system, that has a purpose, an active function, and an energy conservation function.

In semantics, the purpose is given by the substantive function of the sentence, which includes the noun.

The active function is defined by the verbal function, which includes verbs, and the energy conservation function is defined by the adverbial function, which includes adverbs and adjectives.

The first binary action integrates the verbal function with the substantive function, proposing an action. The second binary action closes the circle using the boundaries introduced by the adverbial function.

The Unicist Functionalist Approach to Science

Universal Applications

The unicist approach defines that the functionality of things aims at a purpose, which is defined by an objective to be achieved, is driven by an active function that is based on the use of binary actions and is sustained by an energy conservation function defined by the underlying conceptual structure.

From Physics to Genomics

The triadic structure of the atom, defined by the proton, the electron, and the neutron, is an example of functionality in physics. The unicist mechanics and quantum mechanics are essentially homologous, which allows understanding their functionality. This knowledge allows influencing the unified field of entities and actions in the real world.

The functionality of chemical elements, which can be part of a molecule, is focused on the purpose of achieving a level of stable energy, the active functions are the valences, and the energy conservation functions are the bonds they build.

In genomics, you will find its triadic functionality in all its functions. E.g., nucleotides, integrated by sugar, nitrogenous base, and phosphate; amino acids integrated by hydrogen and amine and carboxylic acid groups; and codons that are a specific sequence of three consecutive nucleotides that is part of the genetic code. The triadic structure of the unicist ontology of DNA and RNA viruses explains their functional structure.

Epigenetic functions work as inhibitors or catalysts that affect the behavior of genes.

From Microcosmos to Macrocosmos

The unified field of the macro and the microcosmos is beyond the operational solutions developed in physics and needs to be found at the functional level of the “system”.

The microcosmos is the active function and the macrocosmos is the energy conservation function while the purpose is blurred or subject to speculation or religious beliefs.

The macro and the microcosmos are evident in social and economic systems, where family and society or microeconomics and macroeconomics are, respectively, the active functions and the energy conservation functions of the systems that have evident purposes.

From Univocal Actions to Binary Actions

Univocal actions work in controlled environments where natural reactions can be inhibited. But it has to be considered that the triadic functionality of any system requires that there are two synchronized actions that, on the one hand, integrate the active function with the purpose, and on the other hand, integrate the energy conservation function with the purpose. Synchronized actions include the reaction as part of the system. This behavior applies to any adaptive environment, including the social, economic, and business fields.

In the field of business, binary actions are two synchronized actions that aim at the same purpose. Every business function is defined by a triadic structure that defines its purpose, its active function, and its energy conservation function. The active function, aiming at the purpose, and the energy conservation function, sustaining the same purpose, are the binary actions in businesses.

Here you can find a series of unicist binary actions to generate value that are evident, which are benchmarks you might use:

1. Increasing productivity + Ensuring quality = Value generation
2. Influential marketing+ Effective selling = Generating revenue
3. Ensuring efficacy + Ensuring efficiency = Effectiveness
4. Active participation + Non-exerted power = Leadership
5. Functional processes + Functional objects = Organization

From Human Intelligence to Fundamentals-based AI

Unicist AI became possible due to the functionalist approach to decision processes. It is a fundamentals-based intelligence that emulates the reasoning process of human intelligence and includes two functions to make this possible: The learning function and the decision function. The subjective bias of data-based AI is solved using this fundamentals-based AI.

Unicist AI allows developing different types of functionalities according to what is needed. 

There are basically 4 types of functions, which are homologous to human decision-making processes, that are being emulated: the descriptive function, the diagnosing function, the predictive function, and the prescriptive function.

The Functionalist Approach to Business

The unicist functionalist approach was developed to manage the concepts that underlie the functions that are being managed, being they functions of living beings or artificial adaptive systems or environments.