The process of coming into view, existence, or importance. In science and philosophy, it can mean complex patterns or properties that arise from many simple parts working together.
From Latin 'emergentia,' from 'emergere' (to rise up, come forth), with the noun-forming suffix '-ence.' The everyday meaning is simply 'coming out' or 'appearing.' The technical sense of 'emergent properties' developed in modern science and systems theory.
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