Requisite variety. Related to the idea of differentiation and integration is the principle of requisite
variety, which states that the internal regulatory mechanisms of a system must be as diverse as the
environment with which it is trying to deal. For only by incorporating required variety into internal
controls can a system deal with the variety and challenge posed by its environment. Any system that
insulates itself from diversity in the environment tends to atrophy and lose its complexity and
distinctive nature. Thus, requisite variety is an important feature of living systems of all kinds.