Concurrentia

Concurrentia is a term used across disciplines to describe the state or condition in which multiple events, actions, or processes occur during overlapping time intervals within a shared environment. Unlike strictly sequential processes, concurrentia emphasizes simultaneity and interaction among components.

Etymology: the word derives from Latin concurrentia, from concurrere meaning to run together, to hurry toward a common point. In some contexts it is used interchangeably with concurrent or concurrency, though it retains a nuance of overlap rather than mere parallelism.

In philosophy and time studies, concurrentia has been used to discuss the co-existence of events and the relations of simultaneity. In computer science and systems theory, it is sometimes treated as an informal term describing the behavior of systems where multiple tasks progress independently yet influence shared resources, rather than relying on strict linear sequencing.

Key characteristics include overlapping execution windows, potential non-determinism due to interaction, and the need for synchronization to avoid conflicts. It is related to, but distinct from, interleaving semantics and true concurrency models such as partial order semantics.

Applications include modeling of distributed systems, real-time simulations, workflow management, and multi-agent coordination. Examples include a networked monitoring system where sensors and controllers operate concurrently, or a manufacturing line where multiple machines perform tasks in overlapping time frames.

See also: concurrency, parallel computing, synchronization, interleaving, true concurrency.