Abel Jansma
@abelaer.bsky.social
Emergence and compositionality in complex and living systems || Fellow @emergenceDIEP, University of Amsterdam || prev at MPI Leipzig & Un. of Edinburgh
abeljansma.nl
abeljansma.nl
Pinned
Abel Jansma
@abelaer.bsky.social
· Jan 22
arxiv.org
🚨New paper! The “partial causality decomposition”
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
A few months ago I started discussing causal emergence with Erik Hoel.
This led to a really fun collaboration, and a new approach to “engineer emergence”.
Erik just published an overview of the ideas, goals, and dreams:
This led to a really fun collaboration, and a new approach to “engineer emergence”.
Erik just published an overview of the ideas, goals, and dreams:
October 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
A few months ago I started discussing causal emergence with Erik Hoel.
This led to a really fun collaboration, and a new approach to “engineer emergence”.
Erik just published an overview of the ideas, goals, and dreams:
This led to a really fun collaboration, and a new approach to “engineer emergence”.
Erik just published an overview of the ideas, goals, and dreams:
Reposted by Abel Jansma
Many sea stars begin life as young fairy-like creature (called a brachiolaria) that float through the open ocean. Eventually, a small star forms within them (here in yellow). The fairy-like brachiolaria sinks under the star’s weight, and the star pops out!
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
October 9, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Many sea stars begin life as young fairy-like creature (called a brachiolaria) that float through the open ocean. Eventually, a small star forms within them (here in yellow). The fairy-like brachiolaria sinks under the star’s weight, and the star pops out!
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
🚨New paper: arxiv.org/abs/2510.05786
*Shapley values beyond game theory*
We show that Shapley values aren’t just about dividing payoffs--they are the right way to project down any higher-order structure.
We generalise them, and Möbius inversions, in important ways: 🧵
*Shapley values beyond game theory*
We show that Shapley values aren’t just about dividing payoffs--they are the right way to project down any higher-order structure.
We generalise them, and Möbius inversions, in important ways: 🧵
Möbius transforms and Shapley values for vector-valued functions on weighted directed acyclic multigraphs
We generalize the concept of Möbius inversion and Shapley values to directed acyclic multigraphs and weighted versions thereof. We further allow value functions (games) and thus their Möbius transform...
arxiv.org
October 8, 2025 at 2:49 PM
🚨New paper: arxiv.org/abs/2510.05786
*Shapley values beyond game theory*
We show that Shapley values aren’t just about dividing payoffs--they are the right way to project down any higher-order structure.
We generalise them, and Möbius inversions, in important ways: 🧵
*Shapley values beyond game theory*
We show that Shapley values aren’t just about dividing payoffs--they are the right way to project down any higher-order structure.
We generalise them, and Möbius inversions, in important ways: 🧵
This is how Rota originally introduced the incidence algebra. Everyone since has (correctly) required the ring to be commutative. Did people in the '60s just refer to commutative rings as associative rings?
September 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is how Rota originally introduced the incidence algebra. Everyone since has (correctly) required the ring to be commutative. Did people in the '60s just refer to commutative rings as associative rings?
Just to balance out the discourse: the #NeurIPS2025 review process for this paper went great. Fair reviews, mostly responsive reviewers, and a thoughtful AC that caught a possible conflict of interest. Definitely improved the paper.
The #NeurIPS2025 version is now online: arxiv.org/pdf/2501.11447
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
September 23, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Just to balance out the discourse: the #NeurIPS2025 review process for this paper went great. Fair reviews, mostly responsive reviewers, and a thoughtful AC that caught a possible conflict of interest. Definitely improved the paper.
The #NeurIPS2025 version is now online: arxiv.org/pdf/2501.11447
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
September 22, 2025 at 7:58 AM
The #NeurIPS2025 version is now online: arxiv.org/pdf/2501.11447
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
It includes a new analysis to show that LLM semantics can be decomposed: the negativity of "horribly bad" is redundantly encoded in the two words, whereas "not bad" has synergistic semantics (i.e. negation):
The "partial causality decomposition" was just accepted for a spotlight at #NeurIPS2025!
The final version includes a decomposition of LLM semantics---the Arxiv version should be updated soon. Stay tuned!
The final version includes a decomposition of LLM semantics---the Arxiv version should be updated soon. Stay tuned!
🚨New paper! The “partial causality decomposition”
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
arxiv.org
September 19, 2025 at 11:01 AM
The "partial causality decomposition" was just accepted for a spotlight at #NeurIPS2025!
The final version includes a decomposition of LLM semantics---the Arxiv version should be updated soon. Stay tuned!
The final version includes a decomposition of LLM semantics---the Arxiv version should be updated soon. Stay tuned!
While I'm flattered, it's a bit weird that google's AI defers to me when you search for this:
August 5, 2025 at 11:57 AM
While I'm flattered, it's a bit weird that google's AI defers to me when you search for this:
Next week we're organising a workshop on the role of analogies in (artificial) intelligence, with:
Melanie Mitchell (@melaniemitchell.bsky.social), Martha Lewis, Jules Hedges (@julesh.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy), and Han van der Maas.
Register here: www.d-iep.org/workshopanal...
Melanie Mitchell (@melaniemitchell.bsky.social), Martha Lewis, Jules Hedges (@julesh.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy), and Han van der Maas.
Register here: www.d-iep.org/workshopanal...
WORKSHOPANALOGIES | DIEP
www.d-iep.org
May 6, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Next week we're organising a workshop on the role of analogies in (artificial) intelligence, with:
Melanie Mitchell (@melaniemitchell.bsky.social), Martha Lewis, Jules Hedges (@julesh.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy), and Han van der Maas.
Register here: www.d-iep.org/workshopanal...
Melanie Mitchell (@melaniemitchell.bsky.social), Martha Lewis, Jules Hedges (@julesh.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy), and Han van der Maas.
Register here: www.d-iep.org/workshopanal...
Don't take my word for it--take Reviewer 2's: "I found the paper extremely interesting and deep"
A gentle introduction is available at abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
A gentle introduction is available at abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
April 8, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Don't take my word for it--take Reviewer 2's: "I found the paper extremely interesting and deep"
A gentle introduction is available at abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
A gentle introduction is available at abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
My new approach to higher-order interactions in complex systems is now published in Physical Review Research:
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
Mereological approach to higher-order structure in complex systems: From macro to micro with M\"obius
Relating macroscopic observables to microscopic interactions is a central challenge in the study of complex systems. While current approaches often focus on pairwise interactions, a complete understan...
journals.aps.org
April 8, 2025 at 1:07 PM
My new approach to higher-order interactions in complex systems is now published in Physical Review Research:
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...
just one more index bro I swear just one more subscript and it's gonna be so clear just one more index please bro
February 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
just one more index bro I swear just one more subscript and it's gonna be so clear just one more index please bro
New blog post 🚨
A gentle dive into the mereology of complex systems, Möbius inversion, and a new way to think about higher-order interactions—no prior knowledge needed!
abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
A gentle dive into the mereology of complex systems, Möbius inversion, and a new way to think about higher-order interactions—no prior knowledge needed!
abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
Complex Systems and Quantitative Mereology
abeljansma.nl
February 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
New blog post 🚨
A gentle dive into the mereology of complex systems, Möbius inversion, and a new way to think about higher-order interactions—no prior knowledge needed!
abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
A gentle dive into the mereology of complex systems, Möbius inversion, and a new way to think about higher-order interactions—no prior knowledge needed!
abeljansma.nl/2025/01/28/m...
New year, new Möbius inversion!
This new paper is an example of my more general proposal that you should study complex systems with 'quantitative mereology' by applying the Möbius inversion theorem: arxiv.org/abs/2404.14423
This new paper is an example of my more general proposal that you should study complex systems with 'quantitative mereology' by applying the Möbius inversion theorem: arxiv.org/abs/2404.14423
January 22, 2025 at 11:15 AM
New year, new Möbius inversion!
This new paper is an example of my more general proposal that you should study complex systems with 'quantitative mereology' by applying the Möbius inversion theorem: arxiv.org/abs/2404.14423
This new paper is an example of my more general proposal that you should study complex systems with 'quantitative mereology' by applying the Möbius inversion theorem: arxiv.org/abs/2404.14423
🚨New paper! The “partial causality decomposition”
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
arxiv.org
January 22, 2025 at 11:13 AM
🚨New paper! The “partial causality decomposition”
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
When many things influence an outcome, how to distinguish individual vs collective #causality?
A framework to disentangle these complex relationships into synergistic, redundant, and unique components: arxiv.org/abs/2501.11447 🧵
Very excited that this is now published:
Stator is a new method to infer higher-order interactions in gene expression data, which reveals cell states and types without clustering!
It's an "intersectional" approach to cellular identity: cells can have multiple identities--states are not disjoint!
Stator is a new method to infer higher-order interactions in gene expression data, which reveals cell states and types without clustering!
It's an "intersectional" approach to cellular identity: cells can have multiple identities--states are not disjoint!
📢Now published!
Know that clustering cells in reduced dimensions is problematic?
Want to identify cell subtypes or states *without* clustering?
Then check out Stator which finely resolves states & subtypes even among apparently homogeneous cells Thread
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Know that clustering cells in reduced dimensions is problematic?
Want to identify cell subtypes or states *without* clustering?
Then check out Stator which finely resolves states & subtypes even among apparently homogeneous cells Thread
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
High order expression dependencies finely resolve cryptic states and subtypes in single cell data | Molecular Systems Biology
imageimageStator assigns multiple states and (sub)types to a single cell using coordinated gene
expression and/or non-expression in a data-driven manner. Its application of structure
learning has incr...
www.embopress.org
January 6, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Very excited that this is now published:
Stator is a new method to infer higher-order interactions in gene expression data, which reveals cell states and types without clustering!
It's an "intersectional" approach to cellular identity: cells can have multiple identities--states are not disjoint!
Stator is a new method to infer higher-order interactions in gene expression data, which reveals cell states and types without clustering!
It's an "intersectional" approach to cellular identity: cells can have multiple identities--states are not disjoint!
Reposted by Abel Jansma
this is a pretty interesting way of looking at collatz
math.stackexchange.com/questions/26...
math.stackexchange.com/questions/26...
December 27, 2024 at 6:38 PM
this is a pretty interesting way of looking at collatz
math.stackexchange.com/questions/26...
math.stackexchange.com/questions/26...
I bet those ants can get an even bigger sofa around a corner.
December 27, 2024 at 7:06 AM
I bet those ants can get an even bigger sofa around a corner.
There’s an analogy to be made between Wolfram’s physics project, and Borges’ Library of Babel.
December 26, 2024 at 10:07 AM
There’s an analogy to be made between Wolfram’s physics project, and Borges’ Library of Babel.
In between changing countries, jobs, and becoming a father, I didn’t manage to read much this last year. But I just finished “the Maniac” by Labatut and thought it was fantastic.
On to “the world beyond the world” by @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev.
On to “the world beyond the world” by @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev.
December 24, 2024 at 2:14 PM
In between changing countries, jobs, and becoming a father, I didn’t manage to read much this last year. But I just finished “the Maniac” by Labatut and thought it was fantastic.
On to “the world beyond the world” by @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev.
On to “the world beyond the world” by @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev.
Reposted by Abel Jansma
I am STOKED that myself and @avakhamseh.bsky.social are looking for a joint EastBIO PhD candidate across @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social and @uoe-sps.bsky.social to develop cutting-edge statistical models at the interface of single cell genomics and quantitative genetics: shorturl.at/vQo0P pls reskeet!
EASTBIO: Mapping DNA variants to cell states in health and disease at University of Aberdeen on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - EASTBIO: Mapping DNA variants to cell states in health and disease at University of Aberdeen , listed on FindAPhD.com
shorturl.at
December 13, 2024 at 1:31 PM
I am STOKED that myself and @avakhamseh.bsky.social are looking for a joint EastBIO PhD candidate across @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social and @uoe-sps.bsky.social to develop cutting-edge statistical models at the interface of single cell genomics and quantitative genetics: shorturl.at/vQo0P pls reskeet!
Is it a common assumption that personality traits like openness and agreeableness are genetically determined?
Or is this circular reasoning because their polygenic scores are derived from the UKBB in the first place?
Or is this circular reasoning because their polygenic scores are derived from the UKBB in the first place?
Association of polygenic scores for neuropsychiatric traits with self-reported professions based on analysis of 420k individuals from UK Biobank and Million Veteran Program. Look at the 'arts & design' category. Artistic talent comes at a cost--a piece of your mind :)
December 13, 2024 at 6:15 AM
Is it a common assumption that personality traits like openness and agreeableness are genetically determined?
Or is this circular reasoning because their polygenic scores are derived from the UKBB in the first place?
Or is this circular reasoning because their polygenic scores are derived from the UKBB in the first place?
Hofstadter's laundry: this soap washes 2x more than expected, even when you take into account Hofstadter's laundry
"Washes up to 2x more than expected"—philosophers, I need your counsel on this serious matter!
Is this a self-defeating promise? By promising to exceed expectations, does this detergent raise those expectations to a level it cannot beat due to its very promise of beating them? 🤔
#PhilSky
Is this a self-defeating promise? By promising to exceed expectations, does this detergent raise those expectations to a level it cannot beat due to its very promise of beating them? 🤔
#PhilSky
December 9, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Hofstadter's laundry: this soap washes 2x more than expected, even when you take into account Hofstadter's laundry
Reposted by Abel Jansma
Super excited to preprint our work on developing a Biomolecular Emulator (BioEmu): Scalable emulation of protein equilibrium ensembles with generative deep learning from @msftresearch.bsky.social ch AI for Science.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
December 6, 2024 at 8:39 AM
Super excited to preprint our work on developing a Biomolecular Emulator (BioEmu): Scalable emulation of protein equilibrium ensembles with generative deep learning from @msftresearch.bsky.social ch AI for Science.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
omg I just found out that cod(f) ≠ dom(g)
tfw no gf😔
tfw no gf😔
December 3, 2024 at 8:44 AM
omg I just found out that cod(f) ≠ dom(g)
tfw no gf😔
tfw no gf😔