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Opening up closure. Semiotics across scales
1Graduate School, City University of New York, New York 10016, USA. JLLBC@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|May 20, 2000
Summary
Complex systems evolve through semiotic reorganization, where lower levels create new meaning for higher levels. This process allows for dynamic closure and the emergence of greater organizational complexity.
Area of Science:
- Complex Systems Science
- Semiotics
- Systems Theory
Background:
- Understanding the emergence of novel organizational levels in complex systems is a fundamental challenge.
- Existing models often struggle to explain the dynamic interplay between different levels of organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the semiotic mechanisms underlying the dynamic emergence of new organizational levels.
- To propose a framework where system-level closure is dynamically reopened for evolutionary development.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis integrating semiotic principles with complex systems dynamics.
- Theoretical modeling of information flow and meaning-making across system levels.
Main Results:
- Identified semiotic reorganization of discrete/continuous variety as a key driver for new organizational levels.
- Demonstrated how continuous/discrete meaning facilitates upward integration and complexity.
- Showcased that both semiotic and dynamic closure are transient, enabling evolution.
Conclusions:
- The dynamic emergence of complexity in systems is intrinsically linked to semiotic processes.
- Reopening system closures is essential for the continuous development and evolution of complex systems.