Neal's Workshop

A paper on Self-organizing traffic lights ... contained the following bit on self-organizing systems:

A system described as self-organizing is one in which elements interact in order to achieve dynamically a global function or behavior.

This function or behavior is not imposed by one single or a few elements, nor determined hierarchically. It is achieved autonomously as the elements interact with one another. These interactions produce feedbacks that regulate the system. If we want the system to solve a problem, it is useful to describe a complex system as self-organizing when the “solution” is not known beforehand and/or is changing constantly. Then, the solution is dynamically strived for by the elements of the system. In this way, systems can adapt quickly to unforeseen changes as elements interact locally. In theory, a centralized approach could also solve the problem, but in practice such an approach would require too much time to compute the solution and would not be able to keep the pace with the changes in the system and its environment.

In engineering, a self-organizing system would be one in which elements are designed to dynamically and autonomously solve a problem or perform a function at the system level. Our traffic lights are self-organizing because each one decides based only on local information its own state. Still, they manage to achieve robust and adaptive global coordination.

The systems of life all regulate themselves. Insodoing, they acheive organization (order) without any central planning, whatsoever.

Anarchy is not a state of disorder or chaos. Rather, it is a state of order acheived naturally, without a central regulator, by the decentralized, self-organizing machinations of autonomous players. Life, by its natural limitations, regulates itself.

Does a more succint indictment of the state exist?

(Paper via Digg)