I'd say the very structure of reality is hierarchical. The process of sensory input in the brain certainly is, and even our best sciences seems layered in levels, such as particle physics -> chemistry -> biology -> psychology; something like this is true for technological innovation as well, there is a telescopic effect, the macro builds on the micro innovations, and larger sized objects form condensed laws that while not as general, often govern the course of things down below. In essence a hierarchy can compress a range of information, which makes reality as a whole parsimonious, in the sense that it can exhibit a great diversity of events with less effort, sort of like language can by the structure of grammar exhibit great diversity by combining condensed information-packets of meanings with near-general grammatical combination laws.
Perhaps this part is wrong "and larger sized objects form condensed laws that while not as general, often govern the course of things down below.".
Since it goes both ways: "and smaller sized objects form condensed laws that while not as general, often govern the course of things above."?
Therefore the point is moot. Although hierarchical layers exist in the structure of reality, I see the deeper structure of reality being distributed. Wherein hierarchy and symmetry only form amongst the distributed elements by symbiotic alignment with the flow of energy between things which is very, very particular. The whole structure looks like a merger between "particles" versus "containers" yet these categories vary according to one's perspective. Perfectly enough from the deepest particle perspective or the outermost container perspective your arrive at the same place, of neither particle or container: the source of the flow of energy between things. Reality is basically a single super-organism. Which is funny since that makes science the study of God. haha
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