The Emergence Machine

Symbol

abstract · general · Level 4 · E4

E4Complex Molecules

Each concept here is mapped to its prerequisites — the ideas you'd need first to understand it — all the way down to four foundations: Space, Time, Energy, Pattern. Click any prerequisite to drill down, or scroll for the chain graph.

Trace. Question. Emerge.

Emergence definition

A form that conveys a message or idea.

Compare Symbol with…

Wiktionary senses

External reference — all senses of the word “symbol” on Wiktionary. This atlas concept maps to only the slice of meaning relevant to the prerequisite graph.

Loading senses…

Source: Wiktionary — “symbol”. Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Historical origin

Origin language
English

Prerequisite chain

Possible path of this concept down to the fundamental substrate.

thisfoundationsL4L3L2L1L0SymbolMeaningFormInformationStructureChangeMatterEnergyPatternSpaceTimeE1 concrete → E14 abstract

Neighborhood

Direct prerequisites above, concepts that depend on this one below.

used byprerequisitesArsenicL5AstatineL5AtL5BariumL5BerylliumL5SymbolL4FormL2StructureL2MeaningL3E1 concrete → E14 abstract

In other languages

Prerequisites

What you need to understand first.

  • Form L2 (requires)
    A symbol is a form that represents a meaning
  • Structure L2 (requires) polysemous
    Remediation: break self-reference
  • Meaning L3 (requires)
    Understanding symbols requires knowing about meaning

Used by