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Intervals of Quasi-Decompositionality and Emergent Properties

Cáceres Vázquez, Emilio and Saborido, Cristian (2017) Intervals of Quasi-Decompositionality and Emergent Properties. THEORIA. An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 32 (1). pp. 89-108. ISSN 2171-679X

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Abstract

The notion of emergence has accompanied philosophy of science since the late XIX century, claiming that in some systems there are properties in certain levels that cannot be deduced from properties of their components as seen in more fundamental levels. Throughout the XX century, emergence has been characterized by four pillars: unpredictability, novelty, restriction and downward causation. These four pillars have been related to the assumption of a hierarchical order of reality in different levels of organization. In this paper, we show that it is possible to explain the nature of the (apparent) emergent properties through the nearly-decomposability criterion introduced by Herbert Simon.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Cáceres Vázquez, Emilioemiliocaceres@epifumi.com
Saborido, Cristiancristian.saborido@fsof.uned.es
Additional Information: ISSN: 0495-4548 (print)
Keywords: Emergence, reductionism, mechanisms, epistemology.
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
General Issues > Explanation
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email theoria@ehu.es
Date Deposited: 06 Mar 2017 15:34
Last Modified: 06 Mar 2017 15:34
Item ID: 12879
Journal or Publication Title: THEORIA. An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science
Publisher: Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea / Universidad del País Vasco
Official URL: http://www.ehu.eus/ojs/index.php/THEORIA/article/v...
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1387/theoria.15718
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
General Issues > Explanation
Date: January 2017
Page Range: pp. 89-108
Volume: 32
Number: 1
ISSN: 2171-679X
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12879

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