Work

A reframed landscape of causal emergence

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Complex systems can often be analyzed at either the microscale of their individual components or the macroscale of their collective organization, yet it remains debated which level of description offers the most meaningful causal understanding. Hoel's recent study in Patterns addresses this challenge by introducing Causal Emergence 2.0, a novel formalization showing that a system's causal workings are best described by how causal influence is distributed across its hierarchy of scales.

Source: Patterns

DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2025.101476

Authors: Olive R. Cawiding, Yun Min Song, Jae Kyoung Kim

Institutions: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Institute for Basic Science, Korea University

Language: English

Topic: Complex Systems and Dynamics

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,900

Funders: National Research Foundation of Korea, Institute for Basic Science, Chung Mong-Koo Foundation