selforigin

Selforigin is a neologism used to describe the capacity or process by which a system, agent, or entity originates its own states, identities, or actions without direct external initiation. Because it is not a standardized term, its meaning varies across disciplines, but it generally centers on internal generation of structure or behavior rather than simple response to external inputs.

In philosophy of mind and personal identity, selforigin refers to the emergence of selfhood from internal cognitive and experiential processes. Proponents emphasize features of conscious experience or continuity of identity that arise from within, while critics caution against equating endogenous generation with complete independence from causal influence.

In cognitive science and complexity theory, self-origin is linked to self-organization and autopoiesis, where complex, higher-order behavior emerges from interacting components without external programming. This view intersects with questions about agency, learning, and the creation of new representations and capabilities inside a system.

In biology and origin-of-life research, the term is used informally to discuss how self-sustaining, self-reproducing networks may arise from simpler chemical systems, signaling a shift from externally driven processes to self-generated organization.

In technology and AI ethics, selforigin raises questions about autonomy, alignment, and control when agents appear capable of setting or altering their own goals. Given its lack of standard definition, interpretations of selforigin differ by field and context.

See also: self-identity, autonomy, self-organization, emergence, origin of life.