
The Hidden Structure of Interaction
From Neurons to Culture Patterns
IOS Press,US
1st Edition
Published on 15. May 2006
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-58603-509-9 (ISBN)
Description
The idea of complexity states that most things tend to organize themselves into recurring patterns, even when these patterns are not immediately visible to an external observer. The general name for the scientific field concerned with the behaviour over time of a dynamic system is "complexity theory". The dynamic systems - systems capable of changing over time - are the focus of this approach, and its concern is with the predictability of their behaviour. The systems of interest to the complexity theory, under certain conditions, perform in regular, predictable ways; under other conditions they exhibit behaviour in which regularity and predictability is lost. The concepts of stable and unstable behaviour are part of the traditional repertoire of physical science. What is novel is the concept of something in between - chaotic behaviour. For chaos here we refer to systems which display behaviour that, though it has certain regularities, defies prediction. How does the order emerge from the chaos? How can we predict the behaviour of a chaotic system?
Over the last 30 years and more, trying to identify the hidden patterns behind chaotic behaviour became the focus of attention in a number of scientific disciplines. These range as widely as astronomy, chemistry, evolutionary biology, geology and psychology.
Over the last 30 years and more, trying to identify the hidden patterns behind chaotic behaviour became the focus of attention in a number of scientific disciplines. These range as widely as astronomy, chemistry, evolutionary biology, geology and psychology.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
Netherlands
Publishing group
IOS Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
ISBN-13
978-1-58603-509-9 (9781586035099)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification