This page gives an (incomplete) overview of publications written for the research project 'The Origins of Goal-directedness' (2020-2023), which is funded by the John Templeton Foundation. If you are new to the subject, you can read the research story before diving into this list. Please find more info about the project here. You can also find our publications in the VUB PURE database.
General overviews
Chemical Organization Theory as a modeling framework for self-organization, autopoiesis and resilience. Heylighen, F., Beigi, S. & Veloz, T., 2015, ECCO VUB, 29 p. (ECCO Working Papers). Link to paper. This paper introduces the concept of Chemical Organization Theory (COT), which uses reactions between resources to model self-organizing systems, and shows how this theory can be applied to various fields such as metabolic networks, ecosystems, and social systems, by identifying self-maintaining and resilient organizations that are attractors of their dynamics.
The Meaning and Origin of Goal-Directedness: A Dynamical Systems Perspective. Heylighen, F., 2022. In : Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Link to paper. This paper lays the conceptual foundations for the research project. It explains that goal-directed behavior does not require intelligent design or conscious intention, but can be explained through the concept of far-from-equilibrium attractors in dynamical systems, which can self-organize into self-maintaining organizations that may model the origin of life.
Relational agency: a new ontology for co-evolving systems. Heylighen, F., 2023. Evolution ‘On Purpose’: Teleonomy in Living Systems. Corning, P. (ed.). MIT Press, (Vienna Series in Theoretical Biology). Link to paper. Many extensions of the neo-Darwinist evolution theory - like self-organization, symbiogenesis and teleonomy - share a focus on agents, networks and processes rather than on independent, static units, such as genes. To develop a new evolutionary synthesis, we, therefore, need to replace the traditional object-based ontology with one that is called ‘relational agency’, states CLEA director Francis Heylighen. His paper sketches the history of both object-based and relational worldviews, going back to their roots in animism and Greek philosophy. It then introduces the basic concepts of the relational agency model, illustrated with examples of self-contained ecosystems, genes and cells. The fundamental evolutionary mechanism is that agencies and reactions mutually adapt so as to form an autonomous, self-maintaining organization, which will similarly adapt, and thus become embedded in a higher-level agency network of relationships.
Special Issues
In 2021, a special issue called "Complexity and Evolution" was co-edited by Prof. Dr. Francis Heylighen, Dr. Tomas Veloz, Dr. Olaf Witkowski and Ms. Daniela Flores for the journal "Entropy", an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed open access journal of entropy and information studies, published monthly online. The special issue welcomed interdisciplinary articles that aim to advance our understanding of the role played by complexity in the evolution of natural and artificial processes. It consists of nine published papers related to topics such as biological, cognitive or social evolution, the evolutionary processes of artificial systems, the emergence of evolutionary processes and novel methods to study the structural properties of evolutionary processes. Link to special issue.
More technical papers (per DISCIPLINE)
FOUNDATIONS
Goals as emergent autopoietic processes. Veloz, T., 2021. In: Frontiers in Bioengineering. Link to paper. This paper discusses the difference between reaching a goal through optimization and the process of a goal becoming a reality through self-organization and emergence. The authors propose a modeling framework that represents goals as emergent autopoietic structures. They criticize existing definitions of emergence for relying on preexisting systems, which limits their applicability to the formalization of emergent goals such as the emergence of life. The authors then explore how the Chemical Organization Theory can be used to formalize autopoietic structures and operationalize goals as an emergent process. They demonstrate that recent taxonomies of emergence can be derived from explanations of changes in the organizational structure of a reaction network.
Why Emergence and Self-Organization are Conceptually Simple, Common and Natural. Heylighen, F., 2023 (Submitted). Proceedings of the Science Week on Complexity, UM6P, Ben Guerir, 2023. Link to paper. This paper examines the assumptions and mechanisms of the "emergence” of a whole. Wholes tend to arise in a simple and spontaneous manner through a process of self-organization in which components randomly interact and couple by linking their inputs and outputs until they settle in a stable configuration (one of mutual adaptation or synergy). These interactions cannot be predicted, neither in principle, nor in practice. Therefore, the emerging whole can’t be determined by the initial configuration of the components, and its emerging properties can’t be reduced to the properties of its components. Because the configuration of the whole constrains the relations between the components, it also defines “emergent laws” that cause the further behavior of the components. Emerging wholes are unlimited in their complexity because the process of evolution never stops, and "whole systems" continue interacting with other "whole systems", potentially acquiring ever more diverse components, connections and capabilities. This paper underlines that the emergence of a whole with novel properties is not only real, but also a fundamental and natural process that can explain a wide range of both common and extraordinary phenomena, including crystallization, magnetization, the origins of life, language and goal-directedness.
CONSCIOUSNESS AND COGNITION
Collective Consciousness Supported by the Web: healthy or toxic? Beigi, S. & Heylighen, F., 2021, Computational Collective Intelligence: ICCCI 2021. Nguyen, N. T., Iliadis, L., Maglogiannis, I. & Trawinski, B. (eds.). Springer, Vol. 12876. p. 81-93 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Link to paper. In this paper, the authors discuss the concept of the "noosphere" as the conscious level of the web, and examine its dynamics through three neuroscientific theories of consciousness, ultimately arguing for the need to promote healthy forms of collective consciousness via the dissemination of open conversation.
A contemporary interpretation of Teilhard’s Law of Complexity-Consciousness. Heylighen, F., 2023. In : Religion, Brain & Behavior. Link to paper. The author argues that Teilhard's Law of Complexity-Consciousness suggests that systems evolve to become simultaneously more complex and more conscious, with complexity being an increase in both differentiation and integration, and consciousness being an increase in the range of sensed phenomena.
Entangled cognition in immersive learning experience. Aguayo, C., Videla-Reyes, R., & Veloz, T., 2023. Adaptive Behavior, 10597123231183996. Link to paper.
The local prospect theory of subjective experience: a soft solution to the hard problem of consciousness. Heylighen, F., Beigi, S., 2023. Link to paper.
The Way We Are Free: On The Problem Of Free Will. Weinbaum, W.D.R., 2023. In M. Lenartowicz & J. Eggers (Eds.), The Noosphere Outside In: Consciousness Beyond Autopoiesis. Bright Hall Publishing. (Submitted) Link to paper.
The Way We Become Free: Further thoughts on the evolution of freedom. Weinbaum, W.D.R., 2023. In M. Lenartowicz & J. Eggers (Eds.), The Noosphere Outside In: Consciousness Beyond Autopoiesis. Bright Hall Publishing. (Submitted) Link to paper.
The Cognitive Domain of a Reaction Network. Veloz González, T., 2023. Manuscript in preparation. Link to paper.
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Beyond planetary-scale feedback self-regulation: Gaia as an autopoietic system. Veloz, T., Rubin, S. & Maldonado, P., 2021, In : BioSystems Journal. 199, 104314. Link to paper. The Gaia hypothesis states that Earth is a living being, which is based on the idea that life is a feedback self-regulator that controls the planet’s chemical and climatic dynamics. Yet, self-regulation through feedback is not a definitive characteristic of living systems. In this paper, Veloz, Rubin and Maldonado define living systems rather as ‘autopoietic’ or ‘causally organized to self-produce through metabolic efficient closure’. From this standpoint, they explore whether the Gaia hypothesis holds up. Can we model Earth as an autopoietic, molecular reaction network? Does autopoiesis at the planetary scale manifest features of biological phenomena, such as autonomy and anticipation? If Earth can indeed be represented as a living instance within this framework, what would this imply for the further development of the Gaia theory, Earth's climate modelling and geoengineering?
Reaction Network Modeling of Complex Ecological Interactions: Endosymbiosis and Multilevel Regulation. Veloz, T. & Flores, D., 2021, In : Complexity. 2021, 12 p., 8760937. Link to paper. The paper proposes a model of endosymbiosis using reaction networks, where different sequences of reactions represent the endosymbiotic interaction mechanisms between species, resources, and conditions, and includes top-down and bottom-up regulation mechanisms that stabilize the interaction.
Toward endosymbiosis modeling using reaction networks. Veloz, T., 2021, In : Soft Computing. Link to paper. This paper focuses on endosymbiosis, a type of symbiotic relationship where one species lives inside another species, and both benefit from the interaction. Modeling endosymbiosis can be challenging due to its complex mechanisms, involving multiple steps at different levels within organisms. Traditional network approaches may struggle to represent these intricate ecological interactions. To address this, the authors propose the use of reaction networks to model such complex ecological interactions effectively. In this framework, entities in the reaction network represent ecological species, resources, or conditions necessary for ecological interactions, while sequences of reactions represent the ecological interaction mechanisms. The article presents a mechanistic model of an endosymbiotic interaction using reaction networks, incorporating three representation layers corresponding to different timescales: intracellular, intercellular, and organismic. As an example, the authors provide a numerical analysis that explores the effects of the endosymbiotic interaction at the intracellular layer.
The complex and systemic establishment of interactions in the ecological communities. Veloz, T., & Ramirez, C. C., 2022. Link to paper.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy or a Mereological Crisis? Beigi, S., 2021. Link to paper.
Modelling Worldviews as Stable Metabolisms. Veloz, T., 2022, In: Entropy. Special Issue Complexity and Evolution. Link to paper. This paper addresses the emergence and evolution of worldviews, emphasizing the need for scientific investigation in our interconnected world. It discusses the limitations of existing cognitive theories and machine learning approaches in adequately modeling and predicting worldviews. The authors propose a formal approach using a metabolic system analogy to explore the establishment, maintenance, and change of worldviews. They introduce a model based on reaction networks, where 'belief attitudes' and 'belief change triggers' are represented as species that interact and modify their structures through reactions. The authors demonstrate that chemical organization theory and dynamical simulations can capture key aspects of how worldviews emerge, persist, and transform. They highlight the role of feedback loops within the organization in maintaining worldview coherence and showcase the ability to induce irreversible shifts between worldviews by introducing external belief change triggers. The approach is illustrated through a simple example involving opinion formation and belief attitudes, as well as a more complex scenario with opinions and belief attitudes on multiple themes.
The Method of Humanity. Lenartowicz, M., 2022, Reflective Coiling: The Noosphere Outside In. Lenartowicz, M. & Eggers, J. (eds.). Bright Hall Publishing. Link to paper. This paper suggests that the collective intelligence of humanity (called the noosphere) can be directed towards a particular methodological direction by intentionally internalizing cognitive processes in a certain way.
Catching the Big Fish: A 4E-Cognition Approach to Creativity in STEAM Education. Veloz, T., Videla, R., Pino, M.C., 2023. In: Constructivist Foundations 18(2): 295–307. Link to paper. The 4E approach proposes an alternative framework to understanding cognition and learning. However, its application to the study of creativity from new educational approaches such as STEAM is incipient. This paper explores how the 4E approach can be implemented in STEAM education through participation in technology-mediated learning ecosystems. Through face-to-face ethnographic participant observation, the authors observed that collaborative work, disciplinary integration and learning by doing - characteristics of the STEAM approach - encourage creativity and learning, giving primacy to training processes over final products. This makes the STEAM approach consistent with the 4E approach.
Random Walks on Structures, Autopoiesis and Meta-learning. Veloz, T., 2023. Constructivist Foundations, 18(2), 281–283. Link to paper.
The 4E Approach Applied to Education in the 21st Century. Veloz, T., Videla, R., 2023, In: Constructivist Foundations 18(2): 153–157. Link to paper. The 4E approach proposes an alternative framework for understanding cognition and learning. Today, there is a limited but growing number of studies on the 4E approach applied to education. However, its application to the study of education in the 21st century is incipient. The authors argue that the 4E approach presents a propitious field for the challenges of education in the 21st century, especially for the understanding of teaching and learning in socio-material and technological environments, as well as new research tools that support theories of learning with empirical evidence. A better understanding of the constructivist perspectives on the application of 4E in education can guide future research in education as well as novel teaching methodologies.
MODELING
Goal Directedness, Chemical Organizations, and Cybernetic Mechanisms. Busseniers, E., Veloz, T. & Heylighen, F., 12 Aug 2021, In : Entropy. 23, 8, 15 p., 1039. Link to paper. The paper proposes a scenario for the self-organization of goal-directed systems from chemical reactions using the framework of Chemical Organization Theory, introducing concepts of perturbation, action, and goal based on an operationalization of change and incorporating notions from cybernetics to explain goal-directedness.
The Role of Self-Maintaining Resilient Reaction Networks in the Origin and Evolution of Life. Heylighen, F., Beigi, S. & Busseniers, E., 2022. In : BioSystems. Link to paper. This paper discusses how living systems are self-maintaining and resilient networks of reactions, and explores how life may have originated and evolved from such structures by acquiring various mechanisms such as negative feedback, resource buffering, degeneracy, and the use of catalysts and memory molecules like DNA, with major evolutionary transitions occurring when different types of living cells form higher-order organizations by specializing in different functions.
Towards an Analytic Framework for Systems Resilience Based on Reaction Networks. Veloz, T., Maldonado, P., Busseniers, E., Bassi, A., Beigi, S., Lenartowicz, M. & Heylighen, F., 2022. In : Complexity. Link to paper. A crucial issue for the future of humanity is ensuring the sustainability and resilience of complex systems such as ecosystems, organizations and organisms. However, many approaches lack a clear theoretical framework, partly because of the difficulty of modelling complex networks of interactions that determine whether a system will be able to maintain itself autonomously (sustainability) in the face of perturbations (resilience). The paper approaches this problem by representing complex systems as reaction networks, which is a promising language to model complex systems. The Chemical Organization Theory (COT) then specifies under which conditions reaction networks are stable enough to be observed as a whole system or ‘organization’. This paper shows how the structure and operation of organizations can be developed into a framework of resilience by analyzing different types of perturbations and responses. After reading the paper, you will grasp the basic notions we use to investigate the Origins of Goal-directedness.
A Markovian framework to study the evolution of complexity and resilience in chemical organizations. Veloz, T., Hegele, S., & Maldonado, P., 2023. ALIFE 2023: Ghost in the Machine: Proceedings of the 2023 Artificial Life Conference. Link to paper.
Autonomous change. Busseniers, E., 2023. Systems Research and Behavioral Science. (Submitted). Link to paper.
Modeling Autopoiesis and Cognition with Reaction Networks. Heylighen, F., Busseniers, E., 2023, In: BioSystems. 230, 104937. Link to paper. Maturana and Varela define an autopoietic system as a self-regenerating network of processes. This paper reinterprets this concept starting from a process ontology and its formalization in terms of reaction networks and chemical organization theory. An autopoietic organization can be modelled as a network of “molecules” undergoing reactions, which is closed and self-maintaining. Such organizations tend to self-organize, thus providing a model for the origin of life. However, in order to survive in a variable environment, they must also be resilient or able to compensate perturbations. According to the “good regulator theorem” this requires some form of cognition, i.e. knowing which action to perform for which perturbation. Such cognition becomes more effective as it learns to anticipate perturbations by discovering invariant patterns in its interactions with the environment. Nevertheless, the resulting predictive model remains a subjective construction. Such implicit model cannot be interpreted as an objective representation of external reality, because the autopoietic system does not have direct access to that reality, and there is in general no isomorphism between internal and external processes.
On the emergence and evolution of resilience in chemical organizations. Veloz González, T., 2023. Manuscript in preparation. Link to paper.