When Can we Call a System Self-organizing?

TL;DR

This paper explores the conditions and observer-dependent factors that determine when a system can be considered self-organizing, emphasizing the role of description level and entropy dynamics.

Contribution

It clarifies that self-organization is an observer-dependent concept influenced by description granularity and discusses ontological and practical implications.

Findings

Self-organization depends on the observer’s chosen description level.

Changing the granularity can make the same system appear self-organizing or disorganizing.

Self-organization is a perspective, not an intrinsic property of systems.

Abstract

We do not attempt to provide yet another definition of selforganization, but explore the conditions under which we can model a system as self-organizing. These involve the dynamics of entropy, and the purpose, aspects, and description level chosen by an observer. We show how, changing the level or "graining" of description, the same system can appear selforganizing or self-disorganizing. We discuss ontological issues we face when studying self-organizing systems, and analyse when designing and controlling artificial self-organizing systems is useful. We conclude that self-organization is a way of observing systems, not an absolute class of systems.