ENERGY-SYSTEMS CONCEPTS AND SELF-ORGANIZATION - A REBUTTAL

The following rebuttal concerns energy systems concepts misrepresented in published critiques (Hagen 1992; Golley 1993; Mansson and McGlade 1993; Fatten 1993). Commentary here defends the energy systems approac h and shows limitations of exergy. The commentary tries to explain why analytic study of parts and mechanisms is only half of basic science. Part of the confusion created by critics lies in trying to describe p henomena at one scale by discussing systems parts separately on a smal ler scale. ''Straw dummies'' (points of view that are misrepresented a nd thus easily faulted) which are important to ecology are corrected.