Topic: | Re:Re:Importance of Emergence |
Posted by: | Charlie Conklin |
Date/Time: | 30/01/2004 14:48:31 |
"After some looking through Dr. Grinder and Ms. Bostic St. Clair's posts, posts that contained the word "emergence", I found that the authors used the term to refer to behavior or mental products that became surprisingly available to the conscious mind." If memory serves, the examples of emergence which John gave were that of the surprising effect of Moire patterns in the human visual system, and similarly the effects of polyrhythm (in drumming). These examples may fit with your speculation. However, given that John mentioned that they may well tackle a "formal" definition of emergence, I would have thought it necessary to take a broad and encompassing view of the phenomenon. My orginal posting was partly to try to clarify this and understand what sort of definition(s) they are working with. The larger purpose though was to understand how "emergence" is important to epistemology. John framed the investigations of Red-Tail math in somewhat this manner: I have been fascinated with Hawks for many years, and I never tire of watching them soar, their subtle movements, their mastery of flying. So consider the question, "Does the hawk understand Bernoulli's principle?" A fascinating and deep question! My main query was because I do understand how this is a question of epistemology, and I understand at least some of the senses in which the answer to that question is "yes". However I have no idea why emergence is related in any important way to that question. And I am most curious about it! Regards, - Charlie |