Emergence: Difference between revisions

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{{a|devil|}}{{d|Emergence|/ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)ns/|n|}}
{{a|devil|}}{{d|Emergence|/ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)ns/|n|}}


A property of a system or aggregated whole which is not shared by components of the system or the constituents of that body. For example, “wetness” is a property of water, but not of any individual molecule of H<sub>2</sub>0. “Consciousness” is an emergent property of neural activity, but the neurons firing across your cortex are not themselves conscious. “[[Bureaucracy]]” is an emergent property of a [[financial services]] organisation, though it may not be present, or ant any rate, obvious, in any of the individual communications within that organisation. Well, not many, anyway. Nonetheless in each case the emergent property is a function not of the system as a whole but of its individual components.  
A property of a system or aggregated whole which is not shared by components of the system or the constituents of that body. So, “wetness” is a property of water, but not of a molecule of H<sub>2</sub>0. “Consciousness” is an property of a brain, but not the neural activity in a brain.<ref>This paradox has derailed the philosophy of mind for hundred of years.</ref> “[[Bureaucracy]]” is an emergent property of a [[financial services]] organisation, not the individual communications within that organisation that make up the organisation. Well, not many of them, anyway.  


To alter an emergent property you need to change the nature of those individual interactions so that a different property emerges. However tempting it may seem to an administrator, you cannot change the wider system, except by changing each of the individual interactions from which the property emerges. You can’t stop water being wet, unless you change the conditions in which water molecules interact (by making it colder, or hotter, or mixing other molecules with H<sub>2</sub>0. Likewise, you can’t remove bureaucracy from an organisation while keeping the organisational hierarchy which incentivises people to be bureaucratic. Each individual actions may be explicable — if a bit conservative — viewed in isolation. You can’t see the bureaucracy in it, and the individual may feel she has no alternative, given the hierarchical structures, than to act that way.
Nonetheless in each case the emergent property is a function not of the system as a whole where it presents, but of its individual components, where it does not.
 
So changing an emergent property is tricky. You must the nature of the individual interactions so that a different property emerges, even though each of those interactions, of itself, is not obviously deficient.
 
 
We know of one institution which instituted a “bureaucracy hotline” where staff could, in essence, denounce examples of bureaucracy when they encountered them. It didn’t work. Another institution had a “see it, say it, fix it” programme. Notwithstanding excellent intentions, it too fell on stony ground. the conditions which needed to be changed were not ones within the control of the employees. In most cases the incipient  ''You can’t tell a cup of water to stop being wet''.
 
However tempting it may seem to an administrator, you cannot change the wider system, except by changing each of the individual interactions from which the property emerges. You can’t stop water being wet, unless you change the conditions in which water molecules interact (by making it colder, or hotter, or mixing other molecules with H<sub>2</sub>0. Likewise, you can’t remove bureaucracy from an organisation while keeping the organisational hierarchy which incentivises people to be bureaucratic. Each individual actions may be explicable — if a bit conservative — viewed in isolation. You can’t see the bureaucracy in it, and the individual may feel she has no alternative, given the hierarchical structures, than to act that way.


Emergence is important component in [[complex system]]s, which, as you may know, the [[JC]] has a bit of a thing about. For instance, the phenomenon of life as studied in biology is an emergent property of chemistry, and psychological phenomena emerge from the neurobiological phenomena of living things.  
Emergence is important component in [[complex system]]s, which, as you may know, the [[JC]] has a bit of a thing about. For instance, the phenomenon of life as studied in biology is an emergent property of chemistry, and psychological phenomena emerge from the neurobiological phenomena of living things.