"Structural coupling, as defined by Maturana and Varela, establishes a clear difference between the ways living and nonliving systems interact with their environments. For example, when you kick a stone, it must react to the kick according to a linear chain of cause and effect. Its behavior can be calculated by applying the basic laws of Newtonian mechanics. When you kick a dog, the situation is quite different. The dog will respond with structural changes according to its own nature and (nonlinear) pattern of organization. The resulting behavior is generally unpredictable."

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