This paper argues that structured systems arise necessarily from the interaction of distinct entities under conditions of persistence. Distinct systems possess non-identical persistence requirements, and their interaction therefore generates tension in the form of incompatible constraints. The mediation of this tension gives rise to higher-order systems that coordinate the persistence of their components. It is further argued that the continued persistence of such systems requires expanded differentiation and the incorporation of additional constraints. This expansion generates further tension, necessitating further mediation. As a result, systems undergo recursive formation and reorganisation, in which increasingly complex structures emerge through the ongoing mediation of constraint. This process does not depend on any additional principle beyond distinctness, interaction, and persistence, but follows as a consequence of their combination.
Joe Alexander Creed (Fri,) studied this question.