Abstract
Models and simulations of collective behaviours are often based on considering them as interactive particle systems. The focus is then on behavioural and interaction rules of particles by using approaches based on artificial agents designed to reproduce swarm-like behaviours in a virtual world by using symbolic, sub-symbolic and agent-based models. New approaches have been considered in the literature based, for instance, on a) topological rather than metric distances and b) fuzzy systems. We propose a new research approach allowing generalisation possibly suitable for a general theory of emergence. We consider the coherence of collective behaviours, i.e., their identity detected by the observer, as given by meta-structures, properties of meta-elements, i.e., sets of values adopted by mesoscopic state variables describing collective, structural aspects of the collective phenomenon under study and related to a higher level of description (meta-description) suitable for dealing with coherence. Mesoscopic state variables are abductively identified by the observer detecting emergent properties, such as sets of suitably clustered distances, speed, directions, their ratios and ergodic properties of sets. This research approach is under implementation and validation and may be considered to model general processes of collective behaviour and establish an initial basis for a general theory of emergence.

Written for academic professors, researchers and graduate students in the areas of collective behaviours, self-organisation and emergence.

Current projects based on meta-structures:
Link 1
Link 2

Gianfranco Minati is doctoral lecturer at the Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy), founder and president of the Italian Systems Society. He graduated in Mathematics from the University of Milan. He is author, co-author and editor of several academic publications (18 books including Processes of emergence of systems and systemic properties, World Scientific, Singapore, 2008; Dialogue about systems, Polimetrica, Milan, 2007; Collective Beings, Springer, New York, 2006; Systemics of Emergence, Springer, New York, 2006; and 58 papers).

Information
Type: Monograph
Language(s): English
Year: 2008
Project: Systemics and Emergence
Number of page(s): 128
Code (printed): ISBN 978-88-7699-143-1
Code (electronic): ISBN 978-88-7699-144-8 - Open Access Publication