Autocatalysis
Self-sustaining chemical reaction networks in which the products of a reaction catalyze the reaction itself, creating feedback loops that drive the system toward complex self-organization. In the context of algorithmic chemistry (Ben Goertzel), autocatalytic sets are proposed as a substrate for emergent cognition — where patterns reinforce themselves through self-catalyzing loops rather than top-down instruction.
In regenerative systems thinking, autocatalysis maps to any positive feedback loop where a system’s outputs become its own inputs — compost producing heat that accelerates decomposition, community knowledge compounding through shared practice, or mutual aid networks that grow denser as they are used.
Key claim (from Goertzel): Autocatalytic thought patterns function as self-reinforcing belief systems and may have more creative power than abduction or evolutionary learning alone.
Status: Referenced in Goertzel’s algorithmic chemistry research. Stub — needs deeper sourcing.