Emergence
In philosophy, systems theory, science, and art, Emergence occurs when a complex entity has properties or behaviors that its parts do not have on their own, and emerge only when they interact in a wider whole.
Emergence plays a central role in theories of integrative levels and of complex systems. For instance, the phenomenon of life as studied in biology is an emergent property of chemistry and physics.
In philosophy, theories that emphasize emergent properties have been called emergentism.
- Emergence: This term describes the process by which complex systems exhibit behaviors or properties that are not present in their individual components or in their interactions taken separately. For example, the property of water (like its ability to dissolve substances) is not present in individual hydrogen or oxygen atoms, but emerges when they are combined.
- Emergentism: This philosophical perspective argues that emergent properties are not merely a result of simple combinations or interactions, but are fundamental aspects of reality. It suggests that higher-level phenomena (like consciousness or life) may not be fully reducible to their lower-level components.
- Relationship: Emergence is a concept that describes a phenomenon, while emergentism is a philosophical stance that views emergence as significant and potentially irreducible. Emergentists often argue that emergent properties have their own causal powers and influence the behavior of the system as a whole, even if they are rooted in lower-level interactions.
- Examples:
- Weak Emergence: The complex behavior of a computer program, which can be explained by the rules of the underlying code but may not be immediately apparent.
- Strong Emergence: The emergence of consciousness from the physical processes of the brain, where some argue that consciousness is fundamentally new and not fully explainable by neuroscience alone.
Emergent Properties
An emergent property is a characteristic that arises from the interactions and organization of a system's components, but is not inherent in the individual components themselves. It’s a property that emerges when parts come together to form a whole, demonstrating the principle that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.
Elaboration:
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Not a Property of Individual Parts:
Emergent properties are not possessed by the individual components of a system in isolation.
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Arise from Interactions:
They emerge from the interactions and relationships between the components.
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Level of Organization:
Emergent properties are often associated with higher levels of organization in a system, such as a cell, an organ, or an ecosystem.
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Examples:
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Biological: The ability of a multicellular organism to move, sense its environment, and reproduce is an emergent property arising from the interaction of cells, tissues, and organs.
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Social: The concept of “public opinion” in a society is an emergent property stemming from the collective beliefs and opinions of individuals.
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Computer Science: The intelligence exhibited by a complex AI system can be considered an emergent property, arising from the interactions within its algorithms.
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**Importance in Systems Biology: Emergent properties are crucial in understanding the behavior of biological systems, as understanding the individual parts alone is not sufficient to understand the system as a whole.