▁that ▁the ▁link ▁between ▁deg ener acy ▁and ▁complexity ▁is ▁likely ▁to ▁be ▁much ▁more ▁general . ▁ ▁Fair ly ▁abstract ▁simulations ▁have ▁supported ▁the ▁hypothesis ▁that ▁deg ener acy ▁fund ament ally ▁al ters ▁the ▁prop ens ity ▁for ▁a ▁gen etic ▁system ▁to ▁access ▁novel ▁her itable ▁phen ot ypes ▁and ▁that ▁deg ener acy ▁could ▁therefore ▁be ▁a ▁pre condition ▁for ▁open - ended ▁evolution . ▁ ▁The ▁three ▁hypoth eses ▁above ▁have ▁been ▁integrated ▁in ▁where ▁they ▁propose ▁that ▁deg ener acy ▁plays ▁a ▁central ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁open - ended ▁evolution ▁of ▁bi ological ▁complexity . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁article , ▁it ▁was ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁deg ener acy ▁within ▁many ▁designed ▁( abi otic ) ▁complex ▁systems ▁may ▁help ▁to ▁explain ▁why ▁robust ness ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁conflict ▁with ▁flex ibility ▁and ▁adapt ability , ▁as ▁seen ▁in ▁software , ▁systems ▁engineering , ▁and ▁artificial ▁life . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁Canal isation ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁Because ▁there ▁are ▁many ▁distinct ▁types ▁of ▁systems ▁that ▁under go ▁her itable ▁variation ▁and ▁selection ▁( see ▁Universal ▁Dar win ism ), ▁deg ener acy ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁highly ▁inter dis cipl inary ▁topic . ▁The ▁following ▁provides ▁a ▁brief ▁road map ▁to ▁the ▁application ▁and ▁study ▁of ▁deg ener acy ▁within ▁different ▁discipl ines . ▁ ▁Animal ▁Communic ation ▁▁▁ ▁Cultural ▁Vari ation ▁▁▁ ▁E cos ystem s ▁▁▁ ▁Ep igen et ics ▁▁▁ ▁History ▁and ▁philosophy ▁of ▁science ▁▁▁▁ ▁Systems ▁bi ology