202104291540 Emergence

The combining of data, events, or constituent parts can produce effects that are not in the details. The sum of the parts is not equal to the whole.

A similar but opposite effect is when the combining of data obscures effects in the details. This and emergence are illustrated by 202208211331 Simpson's paradox.

Prerequisite conditions for emergence

• Group dynamics and sociological phenomena are sufficiently complex to create emergent properties of the whole compared to the individual parts. (202104291527 Live in the ambiguity)
• 202107292108 Simple primitives don't guarantee simple constructs, so complexity of primitives can't be used as a bell-weather for identifying emergent systems.
• 202110231515 Feedback loop, 202110231516 Feedforward loop, and 202110231517 Self-reference are common sources of emergence.

Outcomes of emergence

• Sometimes 202402201204 Resilient, self-organizing systems will generate hierarchies and furthermore 202402241722 Hierarchies enable iterative progress. This property is emergent from simple laws.