Well, isn't it good science to know how to identify observable instances of your subject? If you learn how to watch what real complex system agents do, couldn't that make it easier to copy them and improvise, for example? That's a standard method isn't it? I'm amazed that just because we're still unable to do good testable experiments with complexity in systems it seems to have turned everyone entirely away from studying the physical phenomena. I think it's nuts, well, and also because we may still not have realized how pervasive these things really are. As far as I can tell the only people who have succeeded in modeling complexity in any way spent half a lifetime closely observing them. Then they turn their backs on the real subject. It's weird.
I also think I'm coming at this from a little different perspective and don't want to make it look like I'm only wanting to talk about my own take on it. Things That Identify Emergent Complexity: a) some of the time a.1 transition from noise to continuity in a measure b) all the time. b.1 change of state got any additions? Phil Henshaw ¸¸¸¸.·´ ¯ `·.¸¸¸¸ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 680 Ft. Washington Ave NY NY 10040 tel: 212-795-4844 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] explorations: www.synapse9.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Russell Standish [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 3:12 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Friday Morning Applied Complexity > Coffee Group > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Lyapunov Exponent > > > On Sun, Jul 23, 2006 at 08:45:05AM -0400, Phil Henshaw wrote: > > So, I agree, the central phenomenon is the new appearance of the > > definable. > > > > Complexity has other meanings and referents (some of which > are almost > > the opposite) but that's the main show, and reason for > there being any > > real interest. Anyone care to start a list of the > defining observables > > of emergence? > > > > Surely that varies from system to system. What is the use of > such a list, aside from having a few archetypal examples to > inform one's intuition (eg thermodynamic variables in > statistical mechanics or gliders in Game of Life). > > Cheers > > -- > *PS: A number of people ask me about the attachment to my > email, which is of type "application/pgp-signature". Don't > worry, it is not a virus. It is an electronic signature, that > may be used to verify this email came from me if you have PGP > or GPG installed. Otherwise, you may safely ignore this attachment. > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------- > A/Prof Russell Standish Phone 8308 3119 (mobile) > Mathematics 0425 253119 (") > UNSW SYDNEY 2052 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Australia > http://parallel.hpc.unsw.edu.au/rks > International > prefix +612, Interstate prefix 02 > -------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------- > > ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
