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Emergence

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingEntry for encyclopedia/dictionary

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Abstract

Emergence refers to the appearance of novel properties when components are joined together to form a system or whole (Corning, 2002; Cunningham, 2001; Heylighen, 2023). The underlying idea is that the whole is more than the sum of its parts: it has additional, emergent properties that cannot be explained by, or predicted from, the properties of the components individually. These properties arise from the specific organization of the system, i.e. the manner in which its components are coupled. Emergence is a key concept for understanding the origin of complex organization in natural, social, and technological systems.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationElgar Encyclopedia of Complexity in the Social Sciences
EditorsEve Mitleton-Kelly
PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Number of pages7
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2025

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