# issue (problem)

a thing that is different from a previous state

- Computed level: L3 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: common  ·  Arena: issues

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [matter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-matter.substance), [state](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-state.condition), [previous](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-previous.temporal), [difference](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-difference.relation)

**Through:** when a matter is in a place and its condition is different from a previous condition

**Novel properties:**
- disruption in continuity
- emergent discrepancy
- recognized change

## Examples
- The 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown released cesium-137 into the Pacific Ocean, altering marine sediment composition for decades. *(environment)*
- The 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered a global credit freeze, disrupting interbank lending markets within hours. *(economics)*
- The Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror, ground to the wrong shape in 1990, produced blurred images until corrected in 1993. *(engineering)*

## Used by
- [official](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-official.authority) (L11)
- [solution](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-solution.answer) (L10)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-issue.problem*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-issue.problem.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*