Emergence and self reference: the harmonious path of life and creation In the process of exploring life, nature, and human creation, we often marvel at their complexity and subtlety. From individual cells to complete living organisms, from simple codes to complex systems, all embody a power that transcends the individual. This power is called 'emergence'. Emergence refers to the holistic nature and behavior that transcends the individual's own attributes resulting from individual interactions. The key to understanding emergence lies in understanding the individual's "self reference" and how the world before and after emergence forms a harmonious and unified cycle. The world before emergence: self referential individuals Before emergence, the world was composed of countless independent, static, and discrete individuals. Every individual possesses self referential and self cyclical characteristics. This self referential nature can be understood as a form of "self-awareness" or "internal logic", which is the intrinsic driving force behind individual behavior. For example, a single cell can perceive environmental changes and respond accordingly, and a single code can execute specific instructions, all of which are manifestations of self referential nature. The Emerging World: Global Intelligence When individuals begin to interact with each other, new orders and structures will emerge. The whole is no longer just a simple superposition of parts, but exhibits new attributes and behaviors. This global, dynamic, and continuous whole is what we call the emerging world. For example, countless cells form a living organism, exhibiting characteristics such as vitality and consciousness that individual cells do not possess; Countless lines of code make up the operating system, showcasing complex functionality and powerful performance. The Way of Man and Nature: A Harmonious and Unified Cycle Understanding the world before and after emergence, as well as the symbiotic and harmonious cycle between them, is the path to understanding humans and nature. The self referential nature of an individual is the foundation of emergence, and the emerging whole in turn affects the behavior of the individual, forming an endless cycle. This cycle is the source of life and creation. Example 1: Photocells and Sleep Rhythms The human sleep rhythm is a good example. As independent individuals, photoreceptor cells have the self referential function of "sensing light". After sensing changes in light, they secrete melatonin to regulate the body's sleep rhythm. The world before emergence: photoreceptor cells independently perceive light and secrete melatonin. The post emergence world: Melatonin affects the overall sleep rhythm of the human body, synchronizing it with day and night. Symbiotic and harmonious cycle: Regular sleep patterns can enhance the vitality of the human body, providing more nutrition for photoreceptor cells and promoting their survival and function. In this example, the self referential behavior of photoreceptor cells promotes overall health, which in turn ensures the survival of photoreceptor cells, forming a harmonious and unified cycle. Example 2: Bitcoin System Satoshi Nakamoto's Bitcoin system also embodies the principle of emergence. Miners, as independent individuals, have the self referential function of 'computing hash values'. They constantly perform calculations in order to find nonce values that meet the criteria and receive Bitcoin rewards. The world before emergence: miners independently perform hash calculations. The post emergence world: The computational behavior of miners collectively maintains the security and stability of the Bitcoin network, ultimately reflecting the value of Bitcoin. Symbiosis and Harmony Cycle: The value of Bitcoin motivates miners to continue participating in mining, and miners' mining behavior further consolidates the value of Bitcoin. Nonce and BTC are like hormones or nutrient solutions that connect these two worlds, maintaining the balance and operation of the system. In this example, the self referential behavior of miners (calculating hash values) ultimately generates the value of Bitcoin, which in turn motivates miners to continue participating in mining, forming a self-organizing, decentralized system. conclusion Emergence plays a crucial role in both natural phenomena and complex systems created by humans. Understanding emergence means understanding the relationship between individuals and the whole, between parts and the whole, and understanding the way for humans and nature to coexist harmoniously. Only by deeply understanding the principles of emergence can we create more great works like Bitcoin, Bach's music, and Escher's paintings, and better cope with future challenges. As Laozi said, "Man follows the law of the earth, the law of the earth follows the law of heaven, the law of heaven follows the law of the Tao, and the law of the Tao follows the law of nature." Only by understanding and conforming to nature can we ultimately achieve harmony and unity between man and nature. And emergence is the bridge connecting humans and nature, the lighthouse guiding us towards the future.