The Affordance is the Message: Creative Media as Complex Systems

Research from arXiv proposes a formalization of computational creativity (CC) media through the lens of complex systems (CS). It posits that the 'affordances' of a creative medium inherently shape the creative outputs it generates. The paper introduces nine key properties from complex systems theory—such as emergence, self-organization, non-linear dynamics, and open-endedness—as a framework to describe and compare different creative media at a systemic level, linking design-level mechanisms to these properties.

Why it matters

This research provides a novel theoretical framework for understanding and analyzing creative processes within computational media. It offers a structured vocabulary for comparing different creative platforms or tools, which can inform strategic decisions related to innovation, technology development, and creative resource allocation. Understanding these complex system properties can lead to more effective design and utilization of systems intended to foster creativity.

Key insights

• The affordances of a creative medium significantly influence the creative artifacts produced.
• Computational creativity (CC) media can be formally analyzed using concepts from complex systems (CS) theory.
• Nine specific properties from complex systems theory (emergence, collective intelligence, self-organization, non-linear dynamics, criticality, multi-scale hierarchy, phase transitions, diversity of attractors, and open-endedness) are identified as a vocabulary for describing and comparing creative media.
• Medium affordances are presented as design-level mechanisms that determine the complex system properties of each medium.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.12349