When a new building block is discovered, the result is usually a range of innovations.

With theory, we can separate fundamental characteristics from fascinating idiosyncrasies and incidental features. Theory supplies landmarks and guideposts, and we begin to know what to observe and where to act.

Holland's and Kauffman's work, together with Dawkins' simulations of evolution and Varela's models of autopoietic systems, provide essential inspiration for the new discipline of artificial life, This approach, initiated by Chris Langton (1989, 1992), tries to develop technological systems (computer programs and autonomous robots) that exhibit lifelike properties, such as reproduction, sexuality, swarming, and co-evolution.

If there is to be a competition, there must be some basis for resolving it. It is also clear that the competition should be experienced based.

If we are to understand the interactions of a large number of agents, we must first be able to describe the capabilities of individual agents.

This use of building blocks to generate internal models is a pervasive feature of complex adaptive systems.

Particular individuals do not recur, but their building blocks do.