Complex Systems Studies

What is emergence, after all?
https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.04951

We hear the word #emergence a lot—in science, philosophy, even everyday conversation—but what does it really mean? In this perspective paper, we take a clear-eyed look at emergence as it manifests in real systems, ranging from flocking birds to magnets to herd immunity in social networks. We explain how complex behaviors and patterns can emerge from simple parts interacting locally, and why these large-scale phenomena often can’t be easily understood just by looking at the pieces alone. Instead of getting lost in buzzwords, we break down the idea using concrete examples, showing that emergence isn’t magic—it’s measurable, physical, and beneficial for making sense of the multi-layered complex world we live in.

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www.tgoop.com/ComplexSys/5952

2.47K viewsedited  Jul 8 at 11:33

What is emergence, after all?
https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.04951

We hear the word #emergence a lot—in science, philosophy, even everyday conversation—but what does it really mean? In this perspective paper, we take a clear-eyed look at emergence as it manifests in real systems, ranging from flocking birds to magnets to herd immunity in social networks. We explain how complex behaviors and patterns can emerge from simple parts interacting locally, and why these large-scale phenomena often can’t be easily understood just by looking at the pieces alone. Instead of getting lost in buzzwords, we break down the idea using concrete examples, showing that emergence isn’t magic—it’s measurable, physical, and beneficial for making sense of the multi-layered complex world we live in.

BY Complex Systems Studies