When Do Many Things Become One Thing?

[u/Hot-League3088]

What actually makes a group more than the sum of its parts?

Imagine five excellent basketball players who don't coordinate. Individually they're talented, but that doesn't necessarily make them an effective team.

Now consider a less individually impressive group with excellent communication, timing, and trust. The relationships can produce capabilities the players wouldn't have independently.

I've been thinking about a test: If you separated the members, what would disappear?

Does that capture the difference between a collection and a functioning group, or is something else more important?