selfconstructing

Self-constructing is an adjective used to describe systems capable of creating or modifying their own structure, organization, or components, often with minimal external guidance. The concept appears in biology, engineering, computer science, and philosophy, and can refer to physical construction, software evolution, or the development of internal models and rules.

In biology and materials science, self-constructing processes include morphogenesis—the growth of tissues and organs guided by genetic and biochemical signals—and self-assembly in which components spontaneously arrange into ordered structures without external manipulation. In nanotechnology and materials science, self-constructing materials can form, repair, or adapt their structure in response to environmental cues.

In computing and robotics, self-constructing systems modify their own software or hardware to improve performance or adapt to new tasks. This includes self-modifying code, genetic programming, meta-learning, and neuroevolution in AI; and self-reconfiguring, modular robots and 3D-printable components that can assemble into new configurations.

The idea has a long theoretical history. Von Neumann described a universal constructor capable of automatic replication and repair; Langton explored self-reproducing cellular automata; autopoiesis, formulated by Maturana and Varela, frames living systems as self-producing networks of processes. These concepts highlight both the potential and the challenges of self-constructing systems.

Practical challenges include control of self-modification, safety, reliability, and unintended emergent behaviors. Ethical and societal considerations arise as systems gain autonomy to alter their own design.