Elementary Social Functions: Concept and Interrelation to Social Dependence Relations

This paper introduces a general notion of elementary systemic functions and shows how elementary systemic functions can be instantiated as elementary social functions in agent societies, thus allowing for a functional view of agent interactions. The paper shows a way to interrelate elementary social functions and social dependence relations, for social dependence relations determined by maintenance goals. Also, the paper introduces the notions of elementary functional cycles and elementary functional networks, with functional cycles constituting the operational bases of functional networks, and shows how such structures interrelate to social dependence networks. An example social system is analysed from this elementary functional point of view. Starting from its social dependence network, an elementary functional network is determined for such system. The distinction between elementary social functions and maintenance goals is emphasized in the analysis of the example.