The question of the scope of emergence also concerns the question of how widespread emergence is. For example, many contemporary philosophers think that emergence is a rare and special quality found only in extremely distinctive settings, such as human consciousness. Others think that emergence is quite common and ordinary, applying to a myriad of complex systems found in nature. For those who think that nothing is truly emergent, the question still arises whether this state of affairs is simply an accident or whether the very idea of emergence is incoherent (M. Bedeau, Emergence, 2008, p. 4)
I’m not sure if I can answer Mark Bedeau’s question about the scope of emergence, yet. My inner Romantic would like to believe the former, that it is a “rare and special quality”, whereas my pragmatic Virgo would argue that if we were willing to open ourselves to the possibility we would see emergence everywhere. This conflict stems from the fact that emergence is paradoxical in its complex simplicity. The sense of emergence resonates on a limbic level, but try drawing this knowing into the cerebral cortex to shape it into words and suddenly it becomes increasingly complex.
It was serendipitous, therefore, when my husband tipped his iPad in my direction to show me a cool art video that a friend had posted on Facebook. Augusto Esquivel’s art leapt off the screen as a perfect example of emergence in action. I could not ignore my inner Virgo’s emphatic yes as I watched this talented artist assemble unique sculptures out of the most common material – buttons.
emerging 