Emergence: Philosophy Meets Science

Mark Hereld
Seminar

Ever since Aristotle claimed the whole is more than the sum of its parts, emergence has been an important topic for science and philosophy. Emergence refers to the ways that a multiplicity of seemingly discrete, relatively simple interactions can give rise, without any apparent direction or plan, to astonishing complexity and pattern. A distinguished cross-disciplinary panel will consider the various meanings and applications of this dynamic view of the world. Participants include University of Pittsburgh professor of history and philosophy of science Sandra Mitchell; Nobel Prize