Principles: Learning from Nature

Emergence DAO is guided by the key principles of adhering to the way natural systems work: beehives, ant hills, mycorrhizas.

Emergence is when several elements combine to create a new entity — this entity gains elements that it did not previously have. This phenomenon is observed throughout many living systems.

As a result, a complex living system is more than the sum of its parts.

A beehive is a great example. Upon emergence, each bee has its own, evolving role. Some bees make honeycombs, others collect nectar, while some guard the hive. The queen bee gives birth to them all.

When all bees work together, the whole hive thrives and gives rise to new hives.

We see great value in learning from natural principles and applying this knowledge to DAO work. This could be distilled into a simple algorithm:

• IF everyone adds value in his or her position,

• IF there is high-quality facilitation without excessive communication (bees don’t have meetings or committees),

• THEN everyone will thrive.

Web3 is a step in that direction.

Web3 returns to symbiotic decentralisation, which is a common theme for all scalable, natural systems.

However, the way most DAOs work today is still far from natural. There is often even more bureaucracy and oligopoly than in legacy organisations.

In its governance principles, Emergence DAO moves closer to nature.