Complexity+Science

=Complexity Science (N=13)=


 * Definition 1:** Complexity is defined as "a scientific theory which asserts that some systems display behavioral phenomena that are completely inexplicable by any conventional analysis of the systems' constituent parts.
 * Source:** http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/328/7455/1561
 * Focus:** Randomized Controlled Trials


 * Definition 2:** Simply put, complexity science is an approach to research, study, and perspective which makes the philosophical assumptions of the emerging worldview (EWV) (these include holism, perspectival observation, mutual causation, relationship as unit of analysis, and others - see Table 1.) [Follow link for Table 1]
 * Source:** http://polaris.umuc.edu/~edent/emergence/emerge2-r.htm
 * Focus:** Philosophy

John H. Holland A Complex Adaptive System (CAS) is a dynamic network of many agents (which may represent cells, species, individuals, firms, nations) acting in parallel, constantly acting and reacting to what the other agents are doing. The control of a CAS tends to be highly dispersed and decentralized. If there is to be any coherent behavior in the system, it has to arise from competition and cooperation among the agents themselves. The overall behavior of the system is the result of a huge number of decisions made every moment by many individual agents.[1] Kevin Dooley A CAS behaves/evolves according to three key principles: order is emergent as opposed to predetermined (c.f. Neural Networks), the system's history is irreversible, and the system's future is often unpredictable. The basic building blocks of the CAS are agents. Agents scan their environment and develop schema representing interpretive and action rules. These schema are subject to change and evolution.[2] Other definitions Macroscopic collections of simple (and typically nonlinearly) interacting units that are endowed with the ability to evolve and adapt to a changing environment.[3]
 * Definition 3:** The term complex adaptive systems (or complexity science) is often used to describe the loosely organized academic field that has grown up around the study of such systems. Complexity science is not a single theory— it encompasses more than one theoretical framework and is highly interdisciplinary, seeking the answers to some fundamental questions about living, adaptable, changeable systems. ...A CAS is a complex, self-similar collection of interacting adaptive agents. The study of CAS focuses on complex, emergent and macroscopic properties of the system. Various definitions have been offered by different researchers:
 * Source:** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_adaptive_system
 * Focus:** Biological Systems


 * Definition 4:** Complex systems is a scientific field, which studies the common properties of systems considered complex in nature, society and science. It is also called complex systems theory, complexity science, study of complex systems and/or sciences of complexity.
 * Source:** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_systems
 * Focus:** Science


 * Definition 5:** Complexity science is the scientific study of complex systems, systems with many parts that interact to produce gobal behaviour that cannot easily be explained in terms of interactions between the individual constituent elements. Complex systems include IT networks, ecosystems, brains, markets, cities and businesses
 * Source:** http://www.complexity.ecs.soton.ac.uk/
 * Focus:** Science


 * Definition 6:** Complexity science may be described as the science of learning systems, where learning is understood in terms of the adaptive behaviors of phenomena that arise in the interactions of multiple agents.
 * Source:** http://cust.educ.ubc.ca/faculty/facpages/davis/DavisSimmtJRME.pdf
 * Focus:** Learning Systems


 * Definition 7:** "Complexity science is not a single theory. It is the study of complex adaptive systems - the patterns of relationships within them, how they are sustained, how they self-organize and how outcomes emerge. Within the science there are many theories and concepts. The science encompasses more than one theoretical framework. Complexity science is highly interdisciplinary including biologists, anthropologists, economists, sociologists, management theorists and many others in a quest to answer some fundamental questions about living, adaptable, changeable systems." - A Complexity Science Primer
 * Source:** http://tamarackcommunity.ca/ssi8.html
 * Focus:** Social Innovation


 * Definition 8:** Complexity science is a developing research field that has existed implicitly for many years but was only recently defined as a means to advance interdisciplinary research....There is no single "definition" of complexity science, and the Center for Complexity Science encourages a broad an interpretation of the term.
 * Source:** http://www.ccs.org.il/
 * Focus:** Science


 * Definition 9:** For Davis and Sumara (2004) complexity science is the study of learning systems “which are defined as selftransformative, recursively elaborative phenomena that are nested” (p. 5). ...Complexity science is a science of entanglement, not of distinction-making. It is about participation, not specification. An important caveat of this sort of discussion is that a complex phenomenon is irreducible. It transcends its parts, and so cannot be studied strictly in terms of a compilation of those parts. It must be studied, that is, at the level of its emergence. Classrooms aren’t just collections of students, schools aren’t just collections of classrooms. As such, complexity science provides a means to read across cognitive, social, situated, critical, cultural, and ecological discourses—without collapsing them or their particular foci into unitary or coherent phenomena. (Davis, 2003, p. 43)
 * Source:** http://teach.educ.ubc.ca/faculty_resources/complexity_science_cohorts.pdf
 * Focus:** Education


 * Definition 10:** Complexity science is defined here as an approach to research, study, and perspective which makes the philosophical assumptions of the emerging worldview (EWV) (these include holism, perspectival observation, and others).
 * Source:** http://polaris.umuc.edu/~edent/emergence/emerge2-r.htm
 * Focus:** Worldview


 * Definition 11:** Complexity science is not a single theory. It is a combination of various theories and concepts from a variety of disciplines--biology, anthropology, economy, sociology, management and others"”that studies complex adaptive systems (CAS). All three terms in the name CAS are significant in the definition of a CAS: Complex implies diversity, many connections among a wide variety of elements. Adaptive suggests the capacity to alter or change, the ability to learn from experience. A system is a set of connected or interdependent things. From this definition, it is possible to approach organizations, communities and societies as complex adaptive systems. Complexity science seeks to understand how complex adaptive systems work the patterns of relationships within them, how they are sustained, how they self-organize and how outcomes emerge.
 * Source:** http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/mazi-articles.php?id=333
 * Focus:** Social Change

". . .in a complex system the agents and the system constrain one another, especially over time. This means that we cannot forecast or predict what will happen." Seems to suggest that we should give up all hope! If you've read my post on Strategic Planning then you know that I believe that we can take effective management action in complex systems and create a surprising level of predictability. From my perspective the defining characteristic of a "complex system" is that it produces complex dynamic behaviors from the interaction of its parts.
 * Definition 12:** My reticence is due to the many who have tried and, basically, failed to write a useful definition. Saying that complexity science is the study of complex systems isn't any help -- what's a complex system? Wikipedia's discussion of complex systems is interesting but declines to offer a definition. So I was excited to see this article in the Harvard Business Review. The authors ". . believe the time has come to broaden the traditional approach to leadership and decision making and form a new perspective based on complexity science." I love that! However, while their description of complexity science has some things to like, it reads like a laundry list of buzz words. And then there is this assertion:
 * Source:** http://blog.cause-alities.com/2008/03/harvard-busines.html
 * Focus:** Business


 * Definition 13:** Complexity Science focuses on systems of many interdependent components, showing Emergent behaviour at the system level, Self-organisation and/or Evolution
 * Source:** http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/comcom/dtcsite
 * Focus:** Education