[FRIAM] "self-organization"

[Prof David West]

Hi Nick,

My opinion - 

We, observing human beings, perceive "organization"- some sort of
order, structure, pattern, etc. Some of us might ask, "from whence that
organization?" At least three possibilities occur to us: 1) it is an
illusion, like seeing a horsey or a ducky in the clouds; 2) "God" did
it; and 3) "it simply happened." Number three has two forms: a) "pure
chance" or b) "necessary consequence from resolution of active forces
in context."
West-Eberhardt is conflating "self-organization" and "emergence" (both
of which are not defined terms - see Eric Smith's comments) and
describing the kind of perceived structures that emerge when cellular
automata execute ("respond individually to local conditions according to
simple, shared decision rules."). Unfortunately this usage simply pushes
the question of "whence the organization" backward a step to become
"whence the rules." The answer to this new question is, in our
experience, a programmer; and therefore, becomes a type 2) answer to the
question of from whence the organization.
Many, probably most, proponents of self-organization are stating an
answer of form 3b) organization is nothing more than the necessary
resolution of forces, i.e. laws of physics as expressed in chemistry, in
context. Further, both organization and context are concurrently
organized with each being a reflection of the other.
"Self organization" is not a 'term'. It is,simultaneously, nothing more
than a shorthand reference to a process and a metaphorical argument
against, primarily, the "God did it" explanation and, to a far lesser
extent, to the "illusion" explanation.
dave west


On Fri, Jan 12, 2018, at 11:50 PM, Nick Thompson wrote:
> Hi, everybody,


>  


> The term “self-organizing” has always seemed a mis-nomer, almost an
> oxymoron.  In that connection, I took an interest in the following
> quote from Mary Jane West-Eberhardt’s enormous, DEVELOPMENTAL
> PLASTICITY AND EVOLUTION. (p. 59, bottom of column one)>  


> **Extreme modular flexibility is found in the mechanisms sometimes
> called self-organizing (refs to Kauffman, Gerhart and Kirschner)  In
> seolf organization, the phenotype does not really organize itself.
> Rather, organization is highly flexible and locally responsive because
> a large number of modular subunits respond individually to local
> conditions according to simple, shared decision rules. **>  


> I wonder what you complexity folks think about this as a general and
> comprehensive characterization of the phenomena you have called “self-
> organizing”?>  


> Nick


> Nicholas S. Thompson


> Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology


> Clark University


> http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/


>  


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