A general term for chains of events and movements with a certain degree of autonomy, which continues over time. Events and movements always demand inputs of energy and information from their surroundings, and in that sense their autonomy is always ultimately restricted. But the process is a movement, which is organized in such a way that it can to a cetain extent "drive itself", by actively seeking out energy sources in the environment, by storing energy for later use, or by recirculating energy rather than simply consuming it. Often these forms of behavior demand that the system that undergoes the process has a relatively high degree of internal complexity: In order to store energy, for example, there must exist mechanisms in the system that can direct the energy towards and away from the storage space. Thus, when the water in a pot boils, this is a simple "process" - we see this, e.g. from the fact that the pot keeps boiling for a while after we have removed it from the stove. In contrast, when a book falls to the ground and remains there, this is a one-time occurence, with no potential for further development. Organic life, thought and emotion, however, are aggregates formed from many, mutually dependent processes. Human interaction and communication may be referred to as processes, not just because they are impossible without organic life, but also because they are often self-enhancing or self-maintaining: They continue "on their own". (See also reification.)