concepts

Question 1

What is complexity?

Answer 1

-An approach that thinks about the problem as a system that is greater than (or distinct from) the sum of its parts.
- complexity consists of elements that interact nonlinearly which produce emergent behavior.

Question 2

Concepts of complexity

Answer 2

Question 3

A complex system consists of ________ elements, ________ loop processes, and emergence which may be ____________ and develop out of interactions.

Answer 3

• interdependent
• feeedback loops
• unpredictable

Question 4

Dividing a cow in half does not give you two smaller cows

Answer 4

this is a saying in reference to the difference between systems thinking and reductionism.

Question 5

What is systems thinking?

Answer 5

• Focuses on relations within the system and not the static properties of their elements
• Cause and effect are not necessarily joined by a simple series of steps
• Reacting to a problem in one part of the system may have unintended consequences on other parts
• The parts are understandable only by reference to the whole (because of interconnectedness)

Question 6

What is a complex adaptive system?

Answer 6

A collection of individual agents with freedom to act in ways that are not always totally predictable, and whose actions are interconnected so that one agent’s actions change the context for other agents

Question 7

What are complex system characteristics?

Answer 7

• Interconnected individuals: actions of one can create context for others
• Self-organization: no centralized control
• Threshold behavior: individual actions don’t occur in direct proportion to stimuli
• Adaption: individuals can change their rules for acting
• Interactions between individuals and a response environment: individual changes environment and vice versa
• Interactions between individuals and a group: individual changes group and vice versa
• Feedback loops: negative (balancing, homeostasis) and positive (reinforcing, amplification)
• Temporal lags: costs and benefits often on different time scales

Question 8

Characteristics of complex systems give rise to:

Answer 8

1) Non-linear relationships: effects not proportional to inputs
2) Path-dependence: where you start matters
3) Emergence: appearance of patterns that might not have been predictable a priori even with a high-resolution understanding of the isolated subsystems

Question 9

Properties of complex adaptive systems

Answer 9

Question 10

What is a reductionist approach?

Answer 10

• A reductionist approach is believing that a system can be understood by breaking it down and analyzing in simpler components (by observing the behavior of its parts)
• Assuming that the “correct” model is found, and initial conditions are exactly known, everything is predictable and controllable

Question 11

What are two paradigms for understanding systems?

Answer 11

Question 12

Complicated vs Complex systems

Answer 12

**Complicated **
*Eg: A rocket to the moon *
Formulae are critical and necessary
Sending one rocket increases assurance that the next will be ok
Rockets similar in critical ways
High degree of certainty of outcome

Complex
Raising a child
Formulae have only a limited application
Raising one child gives no assurance of success with the next
High level of expertise in many specialized fields + coordination Expertise can help but is not sufficient; relationships are key
Can’t separate parts from the whole
Every child is unique

Question 13

Mitchell definition of a complex system?

Answer 13

One in which large networks of components with no central control and simple rules of operation give rise to complex collective behavior, sophisticated information processing, and adaption via learning or evolution

a system that exhibits nontrivial, emergent, self-organizing behavior

Examples: insect colonies, the brain, the immune system, economies (the “invisible hand”)