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Complexity science and emergentism

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From: jimruttshow8596

Complexity science and emergentism form a core metaphysical framework, particularly as articulated by Alexander Bard, which seeks to move beyond traditional philosophical reductionism [00:43:31].

Transcendental Emergentism

Bard’s metaphysics, developed with Alexander Ving and Jan Söndquist, is called transcendental emergentism [00:42:21]. This approach resists the trap of reductionism, which often seeks a single explanation for everything, whether at the level of a fundamental atom (atomism) or consciousness (panpsychism) [00:42:47]. Instead, it posits that the world “happens” [00:45:15], and philosophy should focus on defining these “happenings,” or eventology [00:45:29].

Core Principles

  • Focus on Happenings: Emergence is described as the “birth of something novel that never happened before in history” [00:48:24].
  • Emergence Vectors: The world consists of “emergence vectors” [00:49:04], which are domains where novel phenomena arise and operate on their own terms. Examples include:
  • Accidental Monism: The universe is accidentally monist, meaning “everything is connected with everything else,” and new emergence vectors can arise within it [00:51:50].
  • No Creator God: This framework aims to completely remove the concept of a Creator God or prime mover, as it leads to “boringly stupid” philosophical dead ends [00:44:16].
  • Local Teleology: While there is no global teleology or ultimate purpose for the universe as a whole, local teleology is allowed and even encouraged within constrained systems [00:30:16]. This allows for the creation of events and human innovation [00:30:46].

Uniqueness and Evolution

Emergentism highlights the constant creation of unique “occasions” in existence [00:55:16]. This aligns with a Darwinian view where evolution doesn’t have a teleological direction but produces constant change and novelty [02:25:29]. The uniqueness of phenomena like life on Earth, even if based on similar underlying chemistry, is emphasized [00:56:16].

Complexity in Social Systems

Complexity science is applied to understanding human societies:

  • The Socium and Tribopoesis: The concept of the “socium” (clan or tribe, typically 150-1500 people) [00:10:20] is a fundamental unit of human organization.
    • The term “tribopoesis” is introduced as a refinement of “autopoiesis” (self-organization) [01:27:55].
    • “Autopoiesis” is seen as a sloppy term, almost magical, as it implies a “self” organizing itself [01:29:27].
    • “Tribopoesis” emphasizes that organization in human social collectives (tribes) comes from the interaction of individuals with various drives and desires, embodying archetypes [01:29:56].
    • It is suggested that “autopoiesis” might only apply at a universal, global level, while “tribopoesis” is more appropriate for local systems like flocks of birds or human communities [01:30:33].
    • Tribopoesis can serve as a first principle for ethics and values within communities [01:31:05].
  • Membranes and Coherent Pluralism: Social systems operate with “membranes,” which are intelligent, semi-permeable boundaries that regulate what comes in and out [01:36:01].
    • Membranes allow for the existence of diverse “flavors” or “sauces” within different social units, leading to coherent pluralism [01:43:31].
    • This allows for various forms of social organization and beliefs, as long as they don’t impose on others [01:44:08].
    • The “code inside the membrane” can dynamically adapt, changing its permeability based on learned experiences (e.g., banning smartphones for children after observing their negative impact) [01:41:56]. This dynamic adaptation is a “dialectical process” that requires memory [01:42:03].

Addressing Tyranny

The philosophical mission includes the fight against tyranny, which is seen as a “failed human being” and a “boy pharaoh” mentality lacking a sense of humor and driven by revenge [01:54:01]. This also extends to “pillar saints” who are ideological “big men” [01:54:40]. Decentralization, open-source technology, and individual control over algorithms are crucial tools to avoid the surveillance police state and combat these forms of tyranny [01:50:02].

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