Emergence - From Chaos to Order

Author: John Holland (USA), translated by Chen Yu et al., edited by Fang Meiqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: When Jack planted a seed in the ground, a beautiful vine appeared, and gradually it grew into a mature, huge grape tree. In childhood, we often find Jack's magical bean sprout and everyday similar phenomena, such as autumn leaves and sprouting seeds, incredible. As we grow older, these wonderful seed phenomena still fascinate us. Tiny, sturdy seeds can grow into massive redwoods, everyday daisies, and complex, unique structures like bean sprouts! These are manifestations of emergence: complex things arise from simple ones. Now, we know that genes within seeds guide biochemical processes in a step-by-step manner according to certain rules, determining the growth and development of organisms. However, for this complex process, we have only understood some fragments so far. In reality, only by fully understanding how genes interact in a series of steps to develop a seed or a fertilized egg into a mature organism can we truly grasp genes and chromosomes. In short, only by understanding emergence can we truly understand life and organisms themselves.
When we study other fields seemingly unrelated to biological development, such as chess, we find similar emergent phenomena, manifesting in a different form. Once a set of rules is established, a highly complex game emerges. International chess is governed by just a few simple rules, yet after centuries of meticulous study, humans continue to discover new moves in the game. Just as a tiny seed grows into various complex organisms, a small set of game rules can give rise to extremely intricate game situations. Similar cases exist in other fields, such as Newton's law of universal gravitation or Maxwell's equations describing electromagnetic phenomena, which share many similarities with the definition of games. Newton's laws and Maxwell's equations are akin to the "rules" of a game, and the "movements" governed by these rules can be derived using mathematical tools. In observing these movements, we can discover new equations; using newly discovered equations along with various mathematical methods, we can predict the trends of ongoing changes. This is like a game, where we can reveal all possible outcomes allowed by the creator. Newton never imagined that his laws would lead to the invention of "gravity assists," enabling space probes to be launched into the orbits of outer planets by leveraging the gravity of other planets. Maxwell also did not anticipate that his equations would help develop sophisticated electronic control systems, which are absolutely essential for manufacturing modern electronic devices. Like Jack's bean sprout, these equations reveal countless wonders. In fact, most of our understanding of the entire material world stems from a few fundamental equations, the core of which is based on Newtonian and Maxwellian theories.
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