Emergence: Key physical issues for deeper philosophical inquiries

Abstract

In this essay I begin with a sketch of three senses of emergence and a suggestive view on the emergence of time and the direction of time. After trying to identify what issues representative philosophers view as important in their inquires into emergence phenomena in physics I make several observations pertaining to the concepts, methodology and mechanisms required to understand emergence and describe a platform for its investigation. I then identify some key physical issues which I feel need be better appreciated by the philosophers in this pursuit. I end with some comments on the issue of coarse-graining and persistence structures.