Functional dynamics: II: Syntactic structure

Functional dynamics, introduced in a previous paper [Physica D 138 (2000) 225–250] is analyzed, focusing on the formation of a hierarchical rule to determine the dynamics of the functional value. To study the periodic (or non-fixed) solution, the functional dynamics is separated into fixed and non-fixed parts. It is shown that the fixed parts generate a one-dimensional map by which the dynamics of the functional values of some other parts are determined. Piecewise linear maps with multiple branches are generally created, while an arbitrary one-dimensional map can be embedded into this functional dynamics if the initial function coincides with the identity function over a finite interval. Next, the dynamics determined by the one-dimensional map can again generate a ‘meta-map’, which determines the dynamics of the generated map. This hierarchy of meta-rules can continue recursively. It is also shown that the dynamics can produce ‘meta-chaos’ with an orbital instability that is stronger than exponential. The relevance of the generated hierarchy to biological and language systems is discussed, in relation with the formation of syntax of a network.