Emergence - Complexity from Simplicity, Order from Chaos (2 of 2)

Emergent complexity can arise from simple interactions between agents following rules. The complexity that arises is suprising and challenges our assumptions about whether order comes from the top or the bottom. Life and consciousness are examples of emergent phenomena.

Link to many more episodes on various science topics:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/archive/index.html

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• emergence
• emergent
• complexity
• science
• life
• biology
• evolution
• abiogenesis
• crowds
• neil
• tyson

[LastDaysPictures]

Complexity does not emerge from nothing. There needs to be a (invisible) blueprint. Take for example the mathematical sequence of Fibonacci. Out of this very simple sequence emerge a fractal pattern with so many puzzling patterns. But behind this patterns is a principle, not material but invisible. So all nature has that kinds of principles embedded. DNA is a language, demonstrating the Zipfs-law, electric plasma follows fractal patterns, ... creation is wonderful!

[theinquisitor]

@LastDaysPictures, but there isn't a blueprint, that's the whole point of emergence. The water molecules that form into a snowflake aren't following a plan, they're just obeying the laws of physics and arranging according to the local conditions. Complexity does not arise in this case from a blueprint at all. What do you mean a non-material principle? These kind of things are explained entirely by physical laws. Nothing non-material is necessary. That's the beauty of it.

[Awesnap]

@theinquisitor i believe the poster is trying to state that the laws these things follow are immaterial yet are constant. There is nothing inherit in the physical structures of these things to suggest when combined in appropriate proportion and interaction that anything greater should "emerge". You can't examine the physical properties of an atom or an individual ant and say "oh well this will result in the creation of acids, or this ants colony will live for 12 years before diminishing"

[theinquisitor]

@Awesnap, but that's not accurate. Emergence is precisely NOT about some metaphysical layer on top of the large scale structure. The very point of emergence is that it IS inherent in the physical structure of the individual entities and comes about by their interaction. That's why emergence has been seen in computer simulations where all the variables are known and there is no organising force beyond the interaction of the component parts.

[Aldelirium]

@theinquisitor how about energy. its non material and necessary.

[redpillreality]

@megadeus17 there is a scientific criteria for life. if something has all of these properties it is considered to be alive:

1 homeostasis

2organization

3 metabolism

4 growth

5 adaptation

6 response to stimuli

7 repoduce

[StarSpawn06]

@cmpresents

yes life is special,

but science explains it just fine.

what you are probably uncomfortable with is that when life is clearly defined and explained ( by science ),

it loses part of its 'mystique'.

Or are you are referring to things like consciousness, which are associated with life, but not necessary components of life ?

Now that is a truly special phenomenon.

[Enkarashaddam]

@megadeus17, I think the interesting properties of emergence really goes a long way towards debunking so-called "watchmaker" arguments. In fact, it demonstrates why the fallacy of division (found within that argument) is a fallacy. In fact, the notion that non-inert, interconnected components can replace the driving force of organization is a critical aspect in explaining why systems and their properties change over time.

[cmpresents]

@megadeus17 If science can't do that, how do you expect me to do it. You know inside of you that there's something special about life, and you know that science can't answer those questions. Billions of people know that there's is something special about life, and that's a fact. You can go on talking and believing what ever you want. But you, have no idea what life is, and that is all I need to know.

[megadeus17]

@0Fear Yes, it is curious question. But totally irrelevant. Emergent structures depends ONLY on the underlying set of rules, regardless of their source. "Where do these rules come from" simply does not matter. It changes nothing. Complex structures will emerge anyway. Its simple math (well, not so simple actually) .

[megadeus17]

@cmpresents You just replaced one poorly defined term ("alive") with another ("feels"). How will you empirically verify that something "feels"? Can you describe the scientific procedure which can be applied to separate objects that "feels" from objects that "does not feels"?

[0Fear]

@megadeus17 The question is, where do these rules come from? Why is there a constant tendency for order when there doesn't have to be?

[cmpresents]

@megadeus17 If it feels it's environment, then it's alive.