Organismality

Organismality refers to the degree to which a living system functions as an integrated organism. Rather than treating organismhood as an all-or-nothing category, organismality focuses on the extent to which biological processes are coordinated into a coherent, self-maintaining, and functionally integrated whole. Characteristics commonly associated with organismality include physiological integration, developmental coordination, functional interdependence, behavioural organisation, and the capacity to maintain viability under changing conditions. In APS, organismality is understood as a manifestation of biological agency and organised persistence, reflecting the integration of multiple biological processes into coherent patterns of regulation and continuity across time.