A term derived by Waddington from the Greek word rhesis meaning ‘to flow’ and intended to convey the self-righting properties inherent to developing organisms. In contrast to homeostasis, which is concerned with the maintenance of an initial state (e.g., as with a thermostat), homeorhesis is depicted as a mechanism for maintaining an orderly sequence of developmental change in the face of both internal and external perturbations.
See Canalization, Epigenetic landscape, Epigenetics, Equifinality, Feedback