Emergence (nonfiction)

In philosophy, systems theory, science, and art, emergence is a process whereby larger entities, patterns, and regularities arise through interactions among smaller or simpler entities that themselves do not exhibit such properties.

Emergence is central in theories of integrative levels and of complex systems.

For instance, the phenomenon life as studied in biology is commonly perceived as an emergent property of interacting molecules as studied in chemistry, whose phenomena reflect interactions among elementary particles, modeled in particle physics, that at such higher mass—via substantial conglomeration—exhibit motion as modeled in gravitational physics.

Neurobiological phenomena may provide the underlying basis of psychological phenomena, whereby economic phenomena are in turn presumed to principally emerge.

In philosophy, emergence typically refers to emergentism. Almost all accounts of emergentism include a form of epistemic or ontological irreducibility to the lower levels.

Fiction cross-reference

• Behind the Emergent Sea - a concept album about the the emergence principle by Neon Diatom, a techno-folk chamber rock band from New Minneapolis, Canada. The title is play on the phrase "Behind the Emergen-C", which I heard Patrick Ladwig use in conversation.

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Artificial intelligence (nonfiction)
• Complexity (nonfiction)

External links:

• Emergence @ Wikipedia