Emergence and self-organisation: a statement of similarities and differences

A clear terminology is essential in every research discipline. In the context of ESOA, a lot of confusion exists about the meaning of the terms emergence and self-organisation. One of the sources of the confusion comes from the fact that a combination of both phenomena often occurs in dynamical systems. In this paper a historic overview of the use of each concept as well as a working definition, that is compatible with the historic and current meaning of the concepts, is given. Each definition is explained by supporting it with important characteristics found in the literature. We show that emergence and self-organisation each emphasise different properties of a system. Both phenomena can exist in isolation. The paper also outlines some examples of such systems and considers the combination of emergence and self-organisation as a promising approach in complex multi-agent systems.

[1]  George Henry Lewes,et al.  Problems of life and mind , 1874 .

[2]  René Descartes,et al.  Discours de la méthode : pour bien conduire sa raison et chercher la vérité dans les sciences , 1950 .

[3]  Marshall C. Yovits,et al.  Self-organizing systems : proceedings of an interdisciplinary conference, 5 and 6 May, 1959 , 1960 .

[4]  H. Von Foerster,et al.  Principles of Self-Organization: Transactions of the University of Illinois Symposium , 1962 .

[5]  I. Prigogine,et al.  Formative Processes. (Book Reviews: Self-Organization in Nonequilibrium Systems. From Dissipative Structures to Order through Fluctuations) , 1977 .

[6]  H. Haken.  Synergetics: an Introduction, Nonequilibrium Phase Transitions and Self-organization in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology , 1977 .

[7]  J. Schnakenberg,et al.  G. Nicolis und I. Prigogine: Self‐Organization in Nonequilibrium Systems. From Dissipative Structures to Order through Fluctuations. J. Wiley & Sons, New York, London, Sydney, Toronto 1977. 491 Seiten, Preis: £ 20.–, $ 34.– , 1978 .

[8]  Hermann Haken,et al.  The Science of Structure: Synergetics , 1984 .

[9]  Doyne Farmer.  Evolution, games, and learning : models for adaptation in machines and nature : proceedings of the Fifth Annual International Conference of the Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA, May 20-24, 1985 , 1986 .

[10]  Christopher G. Langton,et al.  Studying artificial life with cellular automata , 1986 .

[11]  O. G. Selfridge,et al.  Pandemonium: a paradigm for learning , 1988 .

[12]  Francis Heylighen,et al.  Self-organization, Emergence and the Architecture of Complexity , 1989 .

[13]  G. Nicolis,et al.  Physics of far-from-equilibrium systems and self-organisation , 1989 .

[14]  H. Pagels,et al.  Dreams of Reason: The Computer and the Rise of the Sciences of Complexity , 1989 .

[15]  Stephanie Forrest,et al.  Emergent computation: self-organizing, collective, and cooperative phenomena in natural and artificial computing networks , 1990 .

[16]  Christopher G. Langton,et al.  Computation at the edge of chaos: Phase transitions and emergent computation , 1990 .

[17]  Luc Steels,et al.  Cooperation between distributed agents through self-organisation , 1990, EEE International Workshop on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Towards a New Frontier of Applications.

[18]  Wallace Arthur.  The Green Machine: Ecology and the Balance of Nature , 1990 .

[19]  Stuart A. Kauffman,et al.  The origins of order , 1993 .

[20]  Iu. L. Klimontovich,et al.  Turbulent Motion and the Structure of Chaos: A New Approach to the Statistical Theory of Open Systems , 1991 .

[21]  John H. Holland,et al.  Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems: An Introductory Analysis with Applications to Biology, Control, and Artificial Intelligence , 1992 .

[22]  J. Crutchfield.  The calculi of emergence: computation, dynamics and induction , 1994 .

[23]  U. Frisch.  Turbulence: The Legacy of A. N. Kolmogorov , 1996 .

[24]  M Mitchell,et al.  The evolution of emergent computation. , 1995, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[25]  S. Kauffman.  At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity , 1995 .

[26]  P. Krugman.  The Self Organizing Economy , 1996 .

[27]  David V. Newman,et al.  Emergence and Strange Attractors , 1996, Philosophy of Science.

[28]  M. Beth,et al.  A SELF-ORGANIZING SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY , 1998 .

[29]  Tony Curzon Price,et al.  Emergence: From Chaos to Order by John H. Holland , 1998, J. Artif. Soc. Soc. Simul..

[30]  J. Goldstein.  Emergence as a Construct: History and Issues , 1999 .

[31]  Pierre-Yves Oudeyer.  Self-Organization of a Lexicon in a Structured Society of Agents , 1999, ECAL.

[32]  J. Crutchfield.  Is anything ever new?: considering emergence , 1999 .

[33]  Philip Ball,et al.  The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature , 1999 .

[34]  C. Shalizi,et al.  Causal architecture, complexity and self-organization in time series and cellular automata , 2001 .

[35]  H. Van Dyke Parunak,et al.  ERIM's Approach to Fine-Grained Agents , 2001 .

[36]  H. Van Dyke Parunak,et al.  Entropy and self-organization in multi-agent systems , 2001, AGENTS '01.

[37]  James Odell,et al.  Agents and Complex Systems , 2002, J. Object Technol..

[38]  Iain D. Couzin,et al.  Self‐Organization in Biological Systems.Princeton Studies in Complexity. ByScott Camazine,, Jean‐Louis Deneubourg,, Nigel R Franks,, James Sneyd,, Guy Theraulaz, and, Eric Bonabeau; original line drawings by, William Ristineand, Mary Ellen Didion; StarLogo programming by, William Thies. Princeton (N , 2002 .

[39]  James Odell,et al.  Objects and Agents Compared , 2002, J. Object Technol..

[40]  Tom Holvoet,et al.  Self-Organising in Multi-agent Coordination and Control Using Stigmergy , 2003, Engineering Self-Organising Systems.

[41]  Guy Theraulaz,et al.  Self-Organization in Biological Systems , 2001, Princeton studies in complexity.

[42]  Salima Hassas,et al.  Towards self-organizing computer networks: A complex system perspective , 2003 .

[43]  Franco Zambonelli,et al.  Self-Organization in Multi Agent Systems: A Middleware Approach , 2003, Engineering Self-Organising Systems.

[44]  Salima Hassas,et al.  Self-Organising Applications: A Survey , 2003 .

[45]  H. Van Dyke Parunak,et al.  Engineering Swarming Systems , 2004 .

[46]  Hermann Haken,et al.  Information and Self-Organization: A Macroscopic Approach to Complex Systems , 2010 .

[47]  0 Overview : The Dynamics of Complex Systems — Examples , Questions , Methods and Concepts The Field of Complex Systems , .