It seems like higher order systems consist of binary outputs from its lower order constitutive parts, which are systems unto themselves.
Like a neural pathway being a system comprised of neurons, which are systems unto themselves. Within the system, dynamics are non-binary, with a gradient of possible input. Nut the system itself involves a means of amounting to a higher or system, and this means consists of a threshold, a threshold that, if passed by the levels of input, triggers a signal.
This signal is binary, and this signal is the base inter-neuron dynamic of the higher order system. Either that threshold is passed, indicating a certain amount of neurotransmitter, or it isn't. But this binary dynamic only seems to have real significance within the framework of the higher order system, rather than within the framework of the lower order system, the neuron.
Sure, the neuron can undergo changes that are more or less caused by higher order wirings, but the basic ontology of the neuron is more or less unchanged.
So as this pertains to voting, our binary output would be yes/no, in a manner similar to how neurons compose higher-order systems. While we may have non-binary opinions about some of these matters, these opinions are collapsed down into a binary expression, in the interest of diminishing ambiguity within the formation of higher order systems, in this case an electoral system.
So how can we more robustly translate our opinions into binary expressions?
Alternatively, how can we engineer a higher=order system that doesn't require binary output from its lower-order constituent systems?
