In the original Triple Helix model (Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff 1995), the three “helices” of Universities, Industry and Government and the (3-way) interactions among and between them were proposed as a basis for looking at how entrepreneurship comes into being. Since the original article, other “helix-based” models have been proposed. Some vary the triple and others propose higher numbers of helix – with 4 and 5as the most typical extensions. In the article “Triple, Quadruple, and Higher-Order Helices: Historical phenomena and (neo-)evolutionary models,” Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith (2022) developed an Information-Theory based approach to look more formally at the need for higher-order helices.

In the case of two helices, processes of mutual shaping can generate historical trajectories that could have been otherwise: other options providing possible states, which have not yet historically been realized (Petersen et al., 2016). Adding a third helix makes a substantive change from an information point of view: a Triple Helix model is not just the sum of three sets of 2-way interactions. However, once this number has been reached further additions can be decomposed into sets of triads (Batagelj et al., 2014; Simmel, 1902). This leads to the suggestion that higher-dimensional helix structures potentially add little to discourse.

Four (sets of) authors were asked by the Editors of the Triple Helix to respond to Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith (2022). Many insightful and interesting points were raised including convenience, presentation and the need to allow a more unified theory model. These are discussed in this article’s “responses to just criticism” (Shostakovich, 1937). It continues the debate on triple and higher-order helices by summarising and responding to the points made by those commentators. What may be the status of triple and/or higher-order helices?

在最初的三螺旋模型（Etzkowitz 和 Leydesdorff 1995）中，大学、工业和政府这三个“螺旋”以及它们之间的（三向）相互作用被提出作为研究企业家精神如何形成的基础。自原始文章以来，已经提出了其他“基于螺旋”的模型。一些改变了三重结构，而另一些则提出了更高数量的螺旋——4 和 5 是最典型的延伸。在文章“三重、四重和高阶螺旋：历史现象和（新）进化模型”中，Leydesdorff 和 Lawton Smith（2022 年）开发了一种基于信息论的方法，以更正式地看待对高阶螺旋的需求螺旋。

在两个螺旋的情况下，相互塑造的过程可以产生本来可以不同的历史轨迹：提供可能状态的其他选项，这在历史上尚未实现（Petersen 等人，2016 年）。添加第三个螺旋从信息的角度来看发生了实质性的变化：三螺旋模型不仅仅是三组双向相互作用的总和。然而，一旦达到这个数字，就可以将进一步的添加分解为三元组（Batagelj 等人，2014 年；Simmel，1902 年）。这导致了更高维度的螺旋结构可能对话语增加很少的建议。

Triple Helix的编辑要求四位（组）作者回应 Leydesdorff 和 Lawton Smith (2022)。提出了许多有见地和有趣的观点，包括便利性、陈述和允许更统一的理论模型的需要。这些在本文的“对公正批评的回应”（肖斯塔科维奇，1937 年）中进行了讨论。它通过总结和回应那些评论员提出的观点来继续关于三重和更高阶螺旋的辩论。三重和/或更高阶螺旋的状态可能是什么？