emergent evolution


noun
  1. the origin of entirely new properties at certain critical stages or levels in the course of evolution, as multicellular organisms, sexual reproduction, or nervous systems.

Origin of emergent evolution

1
First recorded in 1920–25

Words Nearby emergent evolution

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British Dictionary definitions for emergent evolution

emergent evolution

noun
  1. philosophy the doctrine that, in the course of evolution, some entirely new properties, such as life and consciousness, appear at certain critical points, usually because of an unpredictable rearrangement of the already existing entities

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