Main concepts of a new interdisciplinary research area known as ’Physics of Open Systems’ are introduced with special reference to a criterion for the relative degree of order in nonequilibrium states of such systems. Based on this criterion, the notion of the ’norm of chaos’ (’norm of order’) is proposed and used to differentiate between degradation and self-organization processes. The possibility of applying methods of open system physics to investigations in economics, sociology and physiology is briefly discussed.

PACS: 05.45.+b, 87.10.+e, 87.80.+s DOI: 10.1070/PU1996v039n11ABEH000181 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1996/11/f/ A1996WA42300006 Citation: Klimontovich Yu L "Relative ordering criteria in open systems" Phys. Usp. 39 1169–1179 (1996) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)Medline RefWorks RT Journal T1 Relative ordering criteria in open systems A1 Klimontovich,Yu.L. PB Physics-Uspekhi PY 1996 FD 10 Nov, 1996 JF Physics-Uspekhi JO Phys. Usp. VO 39 IS 11 SP 1169-1179 DO 10.1070/PU1996v039n11ABEH000181 LK https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1996/11/f/ Оригинал: Климонтович Ю Л «Критерии относительной степени упорядоченности открытых систем» УФН 166 1231–1243 (1996); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0166.199611f.1231