Can Noncommutativity Be Emergent?
Discussing How Emergent Phenomena manifests in a Complex System with Underlying Noncommutative Rule Sets
Dear Thinkers,
I am happy to share with a new essay that I have written, dealing with a very complex yet intriguing idea. How does Emergence manifest in Complex Systems that have underlying noncommutative rule sets and properties?
This investigation was inspired by my recent work with CEMLA (Complex Emergent Model of Language Acquisition), where I examined how language develops as a dynamic, adaptive system driven by complex interactions. This examination led me to question whether our understanding of emergence could extend to domains governed by noncommutative interactions.
In language, the rules of acquisition and adaptation are not always straightforward. They often exhibit context sensitivity and sequence dependence. This made me wonder, can emergence still occur when the underlying rules do not commute, and does this complicate our notion of complexity?
This essay, that I published on PhilPapers, is my attempt to explore that question rigorously. I investigate whether emergent behaviour can genuinely arise from noncommutative structures, using quantum mechanics as my base for the argument.
We discuss the properties of emergent systems, the implications of path dependence and sequence sensitivity, and how noncommutative interactions could trigger a richer, more nuanced form of emergence.
If, like me, you are intrigued by complexity science and how it applies to fields ranging from quantum mechanics to cognition and langauge, I invite you to read the full essay.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Feel free to share your ideas, critiques, or reflections in the comments.
Very interesting.