Complexity

Recently I have concerned myself in thought with the concept of complexity (perhaps this is an indication of my life right now) whereby simple systems develop in stages and take on new characteristics at each stage Examples are the evolution of the species, complex machinery systems and human social interaction. What fascinates me is the novelty that appears at each level. Its uniqueness that sets it apart from the ‘sum of all characteristics’ of the lower rungs. How does this novelty arise? Why is it often greater than the ‘sum of’? and how does this new intelligence attempt to manifest itself in other layers of organization? Maybe chaos theory tells the story? Somehow I doubt this but clearly there is an emergence of an order that requires explanation. Hopefully I can scratch the surface of some of these problems.