2 July 2003give a hands-on introduction into the Science of Complexityinvestigate how simple rules applied to system components create
the richness and diversity of natural and man-made systemsanalyse self-organisation and other principles of complexity at work in a variety
of systems, from molecular and biological systems to computer networks,
and business and economic systemsstimulate students to familiarise themselves with the principles of complexity by building simple models of complex systems
using examples from lectures as building blocksdemonstrate a good understanding of principles of complexity and behaviour of complex systemsExaminationapply this understanding to modelling, analysis and problem solving in a variety of natural and man-made complex systemsPractical work
The continuous assessment consists of a mini-project.
The module gives a hands-on introduction into the Science of Complexity,
and investigates how simple rules applied to system components create the
richness and diversity of natural and man-made systems.Introduction and objectives. Definition and fundamentals of complexity. Emergent behaviour
of equilibrium and non-equilibrium systems. Examples. Phase transition between order and chaos. Spontaneous self-organisation and support
for generalised computation. Examples.Autocatalytic networks. Sub and supercritical connectivity, and behaviour in the phase
transition region. Catalytic closure. Emergent and self-sustainable behaviour
of Boolean, chemical, and other networks, and how life may have started. Examples.Genetic circuits and attractors of spontaneous order. Infinite genome spaces versus
finite cell types. Examples.Genotype spaces and fitness landscapes. Diminishing returns. The limits of selection
driven evolution. The coupling of selection and self-organisation. Examples.Design of organisms and artefacts through search of fitness landscapes. Learning
curves. Examples.Self-organisation and tuning of ecological and technological systems. Origins and avalanches of
extinction. Examples.Self-organisation and dynamics of companies, economies, and political systems. Homogeneous and
heterogeneous systems, and systems in the phase transition. Examples.Self-sustained expansion and unfolding of technological frontiers. The driving forces of
technological and economic growth. Examples.Integration and formulation of principles of Complexity. Conclusions.A New Kind of ScienceStephen WolframWolfram Media, Inc. 2002At Home in the Universe: The Search for Laws of Self-Organization and ComplexityStuart KauffmanOxford University Press1996Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds ComplexityJohn H. HollandAddison-Wesley1996Dynamics of Complex SystemsYaneer Bar-YamNew England Complex Systems Institute1997