Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ An executive summary of complexity theory

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community
Good overview of complexity theory as it applies to the understanding of emergence and adaptive behaviour:

Components:
- The system contains a collection of many interacting objects.
- The behavior of agents/objects is affected by memory or feedback.
- Objects/agents can adapt their strategies based on memory or feedback.
- Exists in an open system, affected by the environment.

Behaviors:
- the system appears to be alive.
- Filled with emergent phenomenon that are surprising and can be extreme.
- Absence of an invisible hand or central controller.
- There is a mix of orderly and disorderly behavior.

Today: 5 Total: 103 [Direct link] [Share]

Image from the website


Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

Copyright 2024
Last Updated: Nov 23, 2024 5:31 p.m.

Canadian Flag Creative Commons License.

Force:yes