The Sciences of the Artificial

Continuing his exploration of the organization of complexity and the
science of design, this new edition of Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial
intelligence adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools -- chaos,
adaptive systems, genetic algorithms -- for analyzing complexity and complex
systems. There are updates throughout the book as well. These take into account
important advances in cognitive psychology and the science of design while
confirming and extending the book's basic thesis: that a physical symbol system has
the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action. The chapter "Economic
Reality" has also been revised to reflect a change in emphasis in Simon's thinking
about the respective roles of organizations and markets in economic
systems.