Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ontology in the Game of Life

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Axiomathes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The game of life is an excellent framework for metaphysical modeling. It can be used to study ontological categories like space, time, causality, persistence, substance, emergence, and supervenience. It is often said that there are many levels of existence in the game of life. Objects like the glider are said to exist on higher levels. Our goal here is to work out a precise formalization of the thesis that there are various levels of existence in the game of life. To formalize this thesis, we develop a set-theoretic construction of the glider. The method of this construction generalizes to other patterns in the game of life. And it can be extended to more realistic physical systems. The result is a highly general method for the set-theoretical construction of substances.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adamatzky A (1998) Universal dynamical computation in multidimensional excitable lattices. Int J Theor Phys 37(12):3069–3108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamatzky A (ed) (2001) Collision-based computing. Springer, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedau M (1997) Weak emergence. In: Tomberlin J (ed) Philosophical perspectives: mind, causation, and world, vol 11. Blackwell, Malden, pp 375–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer R (2004) Autopoesis and cognition in the game of life. Artif Life 10:309–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen LV (2006) Focus on solition research. Nova Science, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dauxois T, Peyrard M (2006) Physics of solitions. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dennett D (1991) Real patterns. J Philos 88(1):27–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner M (1970) The fantastic combinations of John Conway’s new solitaire game ‘life’. Sci Am 223:120–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hovda P (2008) Quantifying weak emergence. Mind Mach 18:461–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovejoy A (1936) The great chain of being. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Meixner U (2010) Modelling metaphysics: the metaphysics of a model. Ontos, Frankfurt

    Google Scholar 

  • Poundstone W (1985) The recursive universe: cosmic complexity and the limits of scientific knowledge. Contemporary Books, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Quine WV (1969) Ontological relativity and other essays. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rendell P (2001) Turing universality of the game of life. In: Adamatzky A (ed), pp 513–539

  • Rennard J-P (2001) Implementation of logical functions in the game of life. In: Adamatzky A (ed) (2001), pp 491–512

  • van Heijenoort J (ed) (1967) From Frege to Godel: a source book in mathematical logic, 1879–1931. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • von Neumann J (1923) On the introduction of transfinite numbers. In: van Heijenoort J (ed) (1967), pp 346–354

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, 07470, USA

    Eric Steinhart

Authors
  1. Eric Steinhart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric Steinhart.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steinhart, E. Ontology in the Game of Life. Axiomathes 22, 403–416 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10516-010-9116-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10516-010-9116-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation