An environment is a Complex of external factors. It acts on a System and determines its course and form of existence. An environment may be thought of as a superset, of which the given system is a Subset . An environment may have one or more Parameter s, physical or otherwise. The environment of a given system must interact with that system in order for it to sustain and develop.
Generally, the environment or '''milieu''' of some Object or Action consists of the Substance s, circumstances, objects, or conditions by which it is surrounded or in which it occurs. (Although the two terms are usually Synonym s, some Science s prefer the less common ''milieu'' to avoid confusion with the more wider-known meanings of ''environment'' in Ecology , Politics , and Sociology ).
Either word may be used with specialized meaning in various contexts.
Computer science and informatics
- In Computer Science , the term generally means data, processes or devices which, although not explicitly named as parameters of a computation, may nevertheless affect its outcome.
- --- In Functional Programming , Lambda Calculus , and Programming Languages , it usually means identifiers that are defined outside a given Function but can be used in it. In other words, everything with global or otherwise non-local Scope to that function.
- --- In certain Operating System s like Unix , DOS , and Microsoft Windows , the environment is a set of Environment Variable s in the form of ''var''=''value'' used by applications and libraries to affect default preferences.
- --- More generally, it may also mean the hardware and operating system on which a program is executed; see System Platform .
Liberal arts and social science
- In non-technical contexts, such as Politics , it often refers to ''the'' natural environment, that part of the Natural World that is deemed valuable or important by Human Being s, for any reason. See Natural Environment .
- In Literature , History , and Sociology , it is the Culture that an Individual lives or was educated in, and the people and institutions with whom he interacts. See Social Environment .
- In fiction, especially Science Fiction and Fantasy it can refer to any Fictional Universe or setting in which different stories are set. Thus the Star Wars sagas are all in one milieu while the various Star Trek series, movies, and books are in different milieus. This meaning is also relevant to fantasy Roleplaying Game s. See Fictional Universe , Constructed World and Fantasy World .
- In any kind of organization or enterprise, it may also refer to the social and psychological conditions that are felt by its members. See Work Environment .
- In any kind of meeting or Congress , it may signify the prevailing mood or preferences of the participants.
Life science
- In Biology , ''environment'' may be defined as the complex of Climatic , Biotic , Social and Edaphic factors that acts upon an organism and determines its form and survival. It, therefore, includes everything that may directly affect the metabolism or behavior of a living organism or species, including Light , Air , Water , Soil , and other living beings. See Natural Environment and Natural Selection .
- In Architecture , Ergonomy , and Work Safety , it is the ensemble of elements of a room or building that affect the well-being and efficiency of its occupants—including dimensions and arrangement of living spaces and furniture, light, ventilation, temperature, noise, etc. It may also refer to the collection of built structures. See Built Environment .
- See Geography for a subject that is a Study of the environment. (Terms like SOSE (Studies of Society & the Environment) not only refer to environmental studies, but also Social Sciences .)
- In Psychology , ''environmentalism'' is the theory that environment (in the general and social sense) plays a greater role than Heredity in determining an individual's development. More significantly, the environment is an important factor in many psychological theories.
Natural environment
Physical science
See also
List Of Songs About The Environment
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