Emergent behavior is a key feature defining a system under study as a complex system. Simulation has been recognized as the only way to deal with the study of the emergence of properties (at a macroscopic level) among groups of system components (at a microscopic level), for the manifestations of emergent structures cannot be deduced from analyzing components in isolation. A systems-oriented generalization must consider the presence of feedback loops (micro components react to macro properties), interaction among components of different classes (modular composition) and layered interaction of subsystems operating at different spatio-temporal scales (hierarchical organization). In this work we introduce Emergent Behavior-DEVS (EB-DEVS) a Modeling and Simulation (M&S) formalism that permits reasoning about complex systems where emergent behavior is placed at the forefront of the analysis activity. EB-DEVS builds on the DEVS formalism, adding upward/downward communication channels to well-established capabilities for modular and hierarchical M&S of heterogeneous multi-formalism systems. EB-DEVS takes a minimalist stance on expressiveness, introducing a small set of extensions on Classic DEVS that can cope with emergent behavior, and making both formalisms interoperable (the modeler decides which subsystems deserve to be expressed via micro–macro dynamics). We present three case studies: flocks of birds with learning, population epidemics with vaccination and sub-cellular dynamics with homeostasis, through which we showcase how EB-DEVS performs by placing emergent properties at the center of the M&S process.

紧急行为是将所研究的系统定义为复杂系统的关键特征。模拟已被认为是处理系统组件组（在微观级别）之间出现特性（在宏观级别）的研究的唯一方法，因为无法从孤立的组件分析中推断出涌现结构的表现. 面向系统的泛化必须考虑反馈回路的存在（微观组件对宏观属性做出反应）、不同类别的组件之间的交互（模块化组合）以及在不同时空尺度上运行的子系统的分层交互（分层组织）。在这项工作中，我们引入了紧急行为-DEVS (EB-DEVS) 建模和仿真 (M& S）允许对复杂系统进行推理的形式主义，其中紧急行为被置于分析活动的最前沿。EB-DEVS 建立在 DEVS 形式主义的基础上，为异构多形式主义系统的模块化和分层 M&S 的成熟功能添加了向上/向下的通信渠道。EB-DEVS 在表现力方面采取极简主义立场，在经典 DEVS 上引入了一小部分扩展，可以处理紧急行为，并使两种形式具有互操作性（建模者决定哪些子系统值得通过微观宏观动力学表达）。我们展示了三个案例研究：具有学习能力的鸟群、具有疫苗接种的群体流行病和具有稳态的亚细胞动力学，通过这些研究，我们展示了 EB-DEVS 如何通过将紧急属性置于 M& 的中心来执行