From: jimruttshow8596
The concepts of reductionism and emergence are central to understanding complex systems in science and philosophy . While seemingly opposing, they represent different, yet often complementary, ways of analyzing the world .
Reductionism
Reductionism is the idea that everything knowable about a higher-level phenomenon can, in principle, be defined purely in terms of its lower-level components and their interactions .
A core tenet of classical reductionism is the belief that disciplines like chemistry could be fully derived from an understanding of quantum mechanics and the standard model of physics . However, it has been observed that there are phenomena in chemistry that, in principle, cannot be explained solely on the basis of the standard model, calling the notion of reductionism itself into question .
Emergence
Emergence refers to phenomena that cannot be predicted from lower-level states or components . This concept is a core foundation of complexity science .
Key aspects of emergence include:
- Unpredictability from lower levels: An emergent property or behavior of a system is not derivable from the properties of its constituent parts alone .
- Relationship to Determinism: The existence of emergent phenomena challenges strict determinism . Even simple physical models can exhibit “deterministic chaos,” where tiny differences in initial conditions lead to vastly different trajectories, making long-term prediction impossible from a practical standpoint . This suggests that the worry about determinism, from both practical and theoretical perspectives, may not be productive .
- Information Boundaries: There are actual limits to what is possible to know, even in principle, about microstates, leading to the concept of the “unknowable” alongside the known and unknown .
- Consciousness as Emergent: Consciousness is seen as an emergent dynamic process arising from the ordered interaction of matter and its dynamics, particularly at the intersection of perception, memory (genetic and lifetime), and processing . This perspective suggests that the “hard problem” of consciousness might disappear once its biological basis is fully understood .
Complicated vs. Complex Systems
A useful distinction when discussing these topics is between “complicated” and “complex” systems .
- Complicated systems are those that can be managed, simulated, and understood through computation, where all factors are potentially knowable . Businesses and farms, for example, can be largely understood as complicated systems .
- Complex systems are more akin to nature, involving numerous interacting factors where the complete state of the system is never fully known at any given moment . Ecosystems, such as the Amazon or coral reefs, are classic examples of complex systems .
A crucial point is that every complicated system is inevitably embedded within at least one complex system, and there is a dynamic flow between them . For example, industrial farming, though complicated, is embedded in an ecosystem, a complex system, and its practices have significant implications through this coupling . The complex is considered the foundational basis for the complicated .
Implications for Choice and Governance
The limitations of reductionism and the prevalence of emergent phenomena have profound implications for understanding concepts like “choice” and “governance” .
- Choice vs. Causation: While science and technology provide strong tools for understanding causation, there is a lack of equally robust tools for understanding choice . Some scientific views might even suggest that choice is an illusion . However, a metaphysical understanding can provide a clear framework for defining choice and, consequently, “effective choice” .
- Societal Decision-Making: Given the complexity of the world and the limitations of predictability, societal decisions require distinguishing between what can be predicted and what can only be probed through “safe-to-fail” experiments . However, some experiments (e.g., nuclear war, uncontrolled biotech) are too consequential to be safe-to-fail .
- Beyond Unconscious Evolution: Humans, with advanced technology, have the capacity to create and destroy the world . This necessitates a “consciousness that transcends just evolutionary process” . Relying solely on market systems or pure evolution, which are “unconscious” in a fundamental way, can lead to negative outcomes . Instead, a values-based, meaningfulness-based approach to decision-making is needed to ensure long-term thriving and reconcile sustainability with adaptation .