Emergence

A pluralist approach

Bibliographic Data

ID21549600
AuthorsErica Onnis (0000-0002-8794-6389, University of Turin, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume38
Issue3
Pages339-355
Publication date2023-04-21
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTHEORIA An International Journal for Theory History and Foundations of Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0495-4548 • E-ISSN: 2171-679X
PublisherEHU Press (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1387/theoria.23972
OpenAlexW4382173317
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited15

Despite the common use of the concept of emergence, no uncontroversial theoretical framework has been yet formulated in this regard. In this paper, I examine what this circumstance suggests about the significance and usefulness of this concept. I first trace a brief history of the notion of emergence from its first formulation among the British Emergentists to its contemporary uses. Then, I outline its most common features and examine three examples of emergent phenomena, namely particle decay, free will, and division of labour in ant colonies. These three cases of emergence exhibit different features and imply criteria which only partially overlap. I then suggest that the multiplicity of features and criteria recognised as defining emergence, rather than being a threat to the tenability of the concept, should encourage the assumption of a pluralist attitude that is consistent with both the employment of this idea in different sciences and the recognition of emergent phenomena across different levels of organisation. Finally, I propose that emergence can be approached in a similar way to how Richard Boyd approached the problem of natural kinds, namely by identifying an open cluster of properties, rather than a set of necessary and sufficient conditions

Epistemology · Linguistics · Sociology · Complex Systems and Decision Making · Computer Science · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · History · Philosophy · Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life

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