The Emergence Machine

regret · emotional

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A self-model comparing the path taken against a parameter whose window included another path that was possible but not taken.

Regret (noun) means: A self-model comparing the path taken against a parameter whose window included another path that was possible but not taken. It emerges from self-model, window, parameter, drift: The self-model compares two possible paths within a parameter's range, one taken and one not, via a relation of opposition, producing awareness of a missed alternative the self could have acquired. In the EmergenceLexicon it sits at computed level 16, chaining down to the four foundations (space, time, energy, pattern).

regret.emotional · forms: regret

Examples

Emergence

from: self-model window parameter drift boundary against compare include possible self take
through: The self-model compares two possible paths within a parameter's range, one taken and one not, via a relation of opposition, producing awareness of a missed alternative the self could have acquired.

Chain to foundations

windowL7 window.range: The range of a parameter within which a thing can be; outside it the thing ends though its parts persist.partL1 part.relation: Something that is in a thing but is not all of that thing.putL3 put.placement: to move something into a placerelationL8 relation.association: when two or more entities connect each otherstructureL2 structure.arrangement: The pattern of how the parts of a thing are placed in space.sizeL2 size.measurement: the space that a thing's matter is inwallL10 wall.range-end: The value of a parameter at which a window ends.centerL3 center.location: the part of a space that is just between the boundariescarryingL5 carrying.transporting: To move with a thing that is in one place and then is in another, where the thing remains in contact and under control.nothingL10 nothing.absence: not a thingnoneL9 none.quantity: no amount of a thingcomeL3 come.arrive: To move through space until being at some place.modelL9 model.representation: A pattern in one thing that is like another thing, so that acting on the pattern can say what the other thing will do.entitiesL4 entities.object: things that are each distinct from other thingsgroupsL5 groups.collection: a set of entity that are together because each entity has patternobjectL4 object.entity: A thing that has a boundary and an arrangement of parts that persists through time in a place.motionL2 motion.movement: Change of place: a thing is here, and after, it is there.surfaceL4 surface.exterior: A part of a boundary that touches a thing and is where the thing is not the thing.numberL6 number.quantity: a mark of many distinct others together in a placesubjectL5 subject.entity: a thing that a change process is about in an eventtimeL0 time.dimension: The before and after of things: that in which a thing can be, and then not be the same.lineL12 line.geometric: a set of points with regular arrangement in spaceregularL1 regular.frequency: a thing that is the same pattern again over timeprocessL4 process.general: A set of changes that occur in something over time.point of no returnL11 point-of-no-return.irreversible: A wall in a parameter's window, beyond which the thing cannot persist even though its parts do.patternL0 pattern.regularity: That which is the same again: what is here is also there, or what is now was also before.controlL4 control.ability: A pattern that persists through time and sets boundaries for how others can change.aloneL3 alone.state: a state where it is in a place and no others are in that placepressL5 press.force: to move an object until it is in contact with a surfacetakeL6 take.acquisition: to get something by moving it from its place into your ownselfL7 self.personal: a part of a person that is distinct from others and serves as the center of their enduring conditionpersistL1 persist.continue: To be the same through time.offL2 off.state: when a thing is not here, it is thereworkL3 work.effort: a change that happens when energy moves something through spacemarksL5 marks.visual: A difference that is a pattern on a surface when a part changes that surface.broughtL6 brought.past-tense: To come to a place carrying a thing that was not there before.addL4 add.operation: to put parts together so that there is more than one part alonecompareL9 compare.relation: to be a relation that identifies where two things differ or are alikecontactL4 contact.physical: When two things are at the same place in space during time and their boundaries touch.arrangementL3 arrangement.spatial: a structure of parts in space.flowL3 flow.movement: Motion of many parts of matter together through one place.interactionL2 interaction.process: When two things change each other.insideL5 inside.spatial: in the space that is within an object's boundarysetsL3 sets.grouped: A pattern of many things that are each different from the others but are bounded together by what is the same about them.eventL3 event.occurrence: a change that occurs in a place during a timeenergyL0 energy.capacity: That by which things can be not as they were.changeL1 change.process: When a thing is not the same after as it was before.getL5 get.acquisition: you make a thing come to youmatterL1 matter.substance: A pattern of energy that is in one place in space through time.interactingL4 interacting.social: when two things change each other while touchingdistinctL3 distinct.attribute: a thing is not the same as another thingparameterL4 parameter.condition: A condition of a thing that can change while the thing persists.amountL8 amount.quantity: the quantity of a thing is a size or a numberkeepL5 keep.maintenance: to make something persist in a place or statepossibleL3 possible.potential: that can happenstateL2 state.condition: a pattern of a thing that persists through time in a placedriftL11 drift.aimless: Change of a parameter with nothing that makes it go one way.forceL12 force.push: a press of matter that results in a change in motionpeopleL6 people.social: a group of distinct entities that persist over time and interact through mutual touchregretL16 regret.emotional: A self-model comparing the path taken against a parameter whose window included another path that was possible but not taken.justL2 just.exact: that which does not differ from the thing it is abouthappenL2 happen.event-occurrence: A change that is at some place during time.pointsL2 points.location: a part that is at a placeholdL13 hold.physical: keep thing with touch and force so it does not moveothersL2 others.distinct-entities: Things that are in space and time but not the same thing as one, or not the same pattern as one.messageL7 message.information: information that one entity puts into space for another entitymakeL4 make.verb: Parts come together through interaction into a structure and persist in that pattern.goL3 go.movement: to move one from a place to another placespaceL0 space.extent: Where things can be: that in which one thing is here and another is there, apart.occursL2 occurs.event: a change that is at some place during timerangeL3 range.spatial: the space between two boundariesdifferenceL1 difference.relation: When one thing is not the same as another; the pattern of one is not the pattern of the other.wayL9 way.method: a link of one place to another through spaceconnectsL7 connects.verb: When two things are brought together so that a flow between them can happen and persist.actL3 act.deed: do somethingoutsideL6 outside.spatial: the space that is not inside a thing's boundaryquantityL7 quantity.numerical: the size of how many things are in a spaceincludeL5 include.addition: to add a thing as a part of another thingsaysL8 says.speech: to make a message that other distinct entities getconditionL3 condition.state: a state of a thing that persists through time in a placelikeL3 like.similarity: When a thing has the same pattern as another thing.boundaryL2 boundary.limit: The place where a thing ends and what is not the thing begins.againstL15 against.opposition: a thing that is different from another and does not go toward itself-modelL14 self-model.reflexive: A model in a thing whose subject is the thing that holds the model.directionL13 direction.spatial: a line that a thing points to as it goeslinksL8 links.connection: a thing that connects two thingsinformationL6 information.knowledge: a pattern of marks that are differencestouchL3 touch.together: When there is no space between the boundaries of two things, and each can change the other.
full chain as text (321 steps)

Neighborhood

Concepts that depend on this one above; what it is built from below.

built from — 3 more not shownregretL16regret.emotional — A self-model comparing the path taken against a parameter whose window included another path that was possible but not tself-modelL14self-model.reflexive — A model in a thing whose subject is the thing that holds the model.windowL7window.range — The range of a parameter within which a thing can be; outside it the thing ends though its parts persist.parameterL4parameter.condition — A condition of a thing that can change while the thing persists.driftL11drift.aimless — Change of a parameter with nothing that makes it go one way.boundaryL2boundary.limit — The place where a thing ends and what is not the thing begins.againstL15against.opposition — a thing that is different from another and does not go toward itcompareL9compare.relation — to be a relation that identifies where two things differ or are alikeincludeL5include.addition — to add a thing as a part of another thing

Relations

is-aself-model.reflexiveregret is a type of self-model
contrasts-withwindow.rangeregret arises when a viable path lies outside the realized window
contrasts-withdrift.aimlessregret implies a choice; drift implies no direction

Provenance

author: retrofit:qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b-2507 · date: 2026-07-29 · confidence: 0.8 · source: Sample/abstract-concepts-as-ranges.md