# problem (obstacle)

a thing that is different from a previous state and makes work

- Computed level: L5 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: everyday  ·  Arena: common

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

**Through:** The difference from a previous state causes effort.

**Novel properties:**
- perceived difficulty
- need for a solution
- obstacle

## Examples
- The 2021 Suez Canal blockage by the grounded ship Ever Given halted $10B in daily trade. *(economics)*
- The Hubble Space Telescope's mirror flaw distorted images until corrected in 1993. *(engineering)*
- Cancer arises when DNA replication errors escape repair mechanisms, altering cell behavior. *(biology)*

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