using wolfram alpha:
assume a 10x10 grid, with a cell having two states — 0 & 1.
1267650600228229401496703205376 possible combinations.
or 1 thousand billion billion billion …
3d. 10x10x10 grid, cell with two states: 0 & 1.
10715086071862673209484250490600018105614048117055336074437503883703510511249361224931983788156958581275946729175531468251871452856923140435984577574698574803934567774824230985421074605062371141877954182153046474983581941267398767559165543946077062914571196477686542167660429831652624386837205668069376
imagine particles in 6 dimensions. say x,y,z; and color (hsl or rgb). 2^(10^6):
can’t even compute the whole number.
9.90065622929589825069792361630190325073362424178756733286 × 10
==^ even in a graph with y = 2^x as dimensions increase, it is beyond our comprehension. we cannot compute the possible outcomes; a computer can compute one of many, with input.==
instead of binary states, a particle can have more states (such as humans do: feelings, for example). this then introduces more possibilities.
say, a particle exists on one level of maslow’s hierarchy. therefore, its states are 1 of 5.
5 ^ 10*10 for a 10x10 grid.
7888609052210118054117285652827862296732064351090230047702789306640625 possible combinations.
then there’s also time. we haven’t even factored that in yet.
we can conclude from the above that there are infinite (artistic) possibilities with the idea of an emergent system. i am not going to be able to exhaust all of them. even if i set up a system to do so, the question is why would i want to do that?
i guess the question is: what am i trying to say?