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Research draft

emergence

vr.tr.emergence · ACT.EVT

Let an agent explain emergence with examples, models and philosophical positions, attribute contested claims, and separate the event sense of emerging.

Thing Registry Activities and processes

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain emergence with examples, models and philosophical positions, attribute contested claims, and separate the event sense of emerging.

The arising of novel properties, patterns or behaviours in a complex system from the interactions of its parts, which are not evident from the parts alone, as in flocking, traffic jams, ant colonies and phase transitions; philosophers distinguish weak from strong emergence, and whether consciousness is emergent is debated.

What it is for: Complex systems science, philosophy and engineering.

It can be explain emergence with examples; distinguish weak and strong emergence; find models such as agent-based simulations; separate other senses of emergence.

Distinguishing features

Whole shows properties parts lack

Arises from interactions

Often hard to predict

Philosophically debated

What it looks like

Not a single object; seen in patterns such as flocks, swarms and self-organised structures.

How it is recognised

Collective patterns from simple rules

Agent-based simulations

Designed central control is not emergence

Related models

is a kind of - category

property of systems

is studied in - field

complex systems science

is related to - related concept

self-organisation

is contrasted with - philosophical position

reductionism

In practice

Families and kinds

weak emergence

strong emergence (debated)

self-organisation

emergent behaviour in AI systems

engineered emergence

Standards and regulation

No specific regulation

Failure modes and hazards

Using emergence as a vague explanation

Presenting contested claims as settled

Overclaiming emergent abilities in AI

Also called

Engineered EmergenceEmersion

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.emergence-event

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Concept What emergence is.

Definitions differ.

Define

Definition.

Define

Definition.

  1. Which definition of emergence is used here? definition
  2. Is weak or strong emergence meant? boundary

Examples

Illustrations.

Examples

Examples.

  1. Which examples illustrate emergence, such as flocking or traffic jams? definition
  2. What simple rules produce them? definition
Models Studying emergence.

Models help.

Simulation

Agent-based models.

Simulation

Simulations.

  1. How can an agent-based model demonstrate emergent behaviour? action
  2. Which tools are used? provenance

Measure

Quantifying.

Measure

Measuring emergence.

  1. How do researchers try to quantify emergence? provenance
  2. Are the measures agreed? boundary
Philosophy Debates.

Views are contested.

Positions

Philosophical views.

Positions

Philosophical positions.

  1. How do philosophers argue for and against strong emergence? provenance
  2. Who holds which view? provenance

Mind

Consciousness.

Mind

Consciousness.

  1. Is consciousness emergent, according to different scholars? provenance
  2. Is the answer presented as open? boundary
Senses Disambiguation.

Emergence has other senses.

Event

Emerging.

Event

Event sense.

  1. Is emergence as an event, such as insects emerging or a plant surfacing, meant? boundary
  2. Which entry fits? action

AI

Emergent abilities.

AI

AI claims.

  1. Is a claim about emergent abilities in AI models supported by evidence? boundary
  2. Who makes and who disputes it? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should weak and strong emergence be separate entries?
  • How should examples be linked?
  • How should AI claims be attributed?