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Reconciling emergences: an information-theoretic approach to identify causal emergence in multivariate data

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Version 2 2023-06-12, 09:27
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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-12, 09:27 authored by Fernando E Rosas, Pedro A M Mediano, Henrik J Jensen, Anil SethAnil Seth, Adam BarrettAdam Barrett, Robin L Carhart-Harris, Daniel Bor
The broad concept of emergence is instrumental in various of the most challenging open scientific questions—yet, few quantitative theories of what constitutes emergent phenomena have been proposed. This article introduces a formal theory of causal emergence in multivariate systems, which studies the relationship between the dynamics of parts of a system and macroscopic features of interest. Our theory provides a quantitative definition of downward causation, and introduces a complementary modality of emergent behaviour—which we refer to as causal decoupling. Moreover, the theory allows practical criteria that can be efficiently calculated in large systems, making our framework applicable in a range of scenarios of practical interest. We illustrate our findings in a number of case studies, including Conway’s Game of Life, Reynolds’ flocking model, and neural activity as measured by electrocorticography.

Funding

The Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science 2019-2021 Leading-edge consciousness science and its application to psychological and neurological health; G2608; SACKLER-DR MORTIMER AND THERESA SACKLER FOUNDATION

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

PLoS Computational Biology

ISSN

1553-734X

Publisher

Public Library of Science

Issue

12

Volume

16

Page range

1-23

Article number

a1008289

Department affiliated with

  • Informatics Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2020-09-03

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2020-09-03

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2020-09-02

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