Emergence

Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. These atoms possess their own properties. Water exhibits different and novel properties from those of the atoms that compose it. For example, water is liquid, while such a property does not belong to the atoms. We say then that the liquidity of water is an emergent property from the complex of atoms that compose the water mass. In general, all water properties are emergent from the physical structure of their atoms. This entry examines three fundamental notions of emergence: weak emergence, strong emergence, and emergent dualism. In weak emergence, only physical laws are involved. Conversely, physical laws alone are not sufficient to explain strong emergence. Typical strong emergent properties include mental properties, such as sensations, visual perception, and other qualities, until higher mental capacities develop. Finally, emergent dualism not only holds the emergence of such properties but also that of their ontological foundation, that is, the person.