[FRIAM] WedTech: Formalisms In Complexity; Wed Aug 2, 1:30p @ Tesoro

[Steve Smith]

Owen -

this kind of "editorial value added" is "invaluable" , thanks...

- Steve
On Aug 1, 2006, at 12:12 PM, Owen Densmore wrote:

> To kick off our discussions of Formalisms In Complexity, I thought
> I'd add this to the mix.
>
>      -- Owen
>
> Owen Densmore
> http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The Six Desert Island Books On Complexity (In no particular order)
>
> This list began after several conversations on FRIAM about formalism,
> and its lack, in Complexity.  These prompted me to see just what
> *was* available.  These books all cover part of our Science with
> sufficient formalism.  I've not read all of any of them, they are
> more like references for me, but they are focused on areas important
> to be rigorous about within our Science, if it is to be one.
>
> 1 - Bar-Yam: Dynamics of Complex Systems
>      http://tinyurl.com/qumgf
> I put this first because it stands in for a Complexity Textbook.
> Surprisingly, there are no such texts that I've been able to find.
> Bar-Yam does a great job of looking at the areas deemed complex in
> the early 1990's when the book was written.
>
> 2 - Newman, Barabasi, Watts: The Structure and Dynamics of Networks
>      http://tinyurl.com/jh3u8
> This is "the next best thing" to a textbook, a series of readings,
> with a good introduction, in an area within complexity.  There are
> others books of readings, the SFI redbooks, for example.  This is
> particularly of interest to us due to the fast rise of graph theory
> within modeling.
>
> 3 - MacKay: Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms
>      http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/mackay/
>      http://tinyurl.com/e5len
> Robert Holmes led us to this delightful book when he led a couple of
> WedTech meetings on the Monte Carlo techniques (Ch 29).  This book is
> not only exceptional for its breadth, but also for its author putting
> the entire book online for free use!  He also includes software
> examples using open source tools and actively maintains errata on his
> website.
>
> 4 - Gintis: Game Theory Evolving
>      http://tinyurl.com/ew3yr
> Many of us use Agent Based Modeling for investigating problems.  The
> agents have behavior and evolve in time.  This book is a bit wacky in
> its approach, disdaining dogmatic and classical approaches, in order
> to focus on the import of evolution within game theory.  Its kinda
> fun too.
>
> 5 - Strogatz: Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications
>      to Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Engineering
>      http://tinyurl.com/e8ldl
> Strogatz may be the best teacher of technically difficult material in
> the world!  He's won important prizes in this area.  This is a great
> book for physicists who've always wondered why their profs gently led
> them around the great gaping holes in their art.
>
> 6 - Devaney: An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems
>      http://tinyurl.com/z3l8r
> Our sister science, Chaos, has made exquisite headway in formalizing
> a difficult area.  Were we so lucky!  I have Chaos envy!  There are
> several books out there, but this is the most cited I think.  I'd
> also consider Davies, Exploring Chaos, for his short treatment and
> inclusion of really excellent Java applets, and Williams, Chaos
> Theory Tamed, for its very pragmatic, approachable and broad coverage.
>
>
>
> On Jul 31, 2006, at 11:23 AM, Owen Densmore wrote:
>
>> As you have likely noticed, we've had a few conversations on FRIAM
>> discussing formalisms in complexity:
>>    [FRIAM] Definition of Complexity
>>    [FRIAM] Dynamics of Complex Systems by Yaneer Bar-Yam
>>    [FRIAM] Lyapunov Exponent
>>    [FRIAM] What have the Romans - sorry - complexity done for us?
>>
>> You are invited to come chat about all this in person at the WedTech
>> meeting this Wed, Aug 2.
>>
>> Due to schedule madness, we'll meet at 1:30, later than usual.  We'll
>> not need the conference room, so we'll meet at Tesoro so we can lunch
>> while chatting.  Best to get there a bit earlier so you can order
>> lunch/greet before we start.
>>
>> Feel free to think of an issue or stance taken in the email exchanges
>> and expand upon the theme.  Or come with something new!  Devil's
>> advocates welcome!
>>
>> Examples taken from the various emails:
>> - Hubler's and Gell-Mann's Definitions.
>> - Thermal Dynamic or Statistical Mechanic formalisms.
>> - Dissipative Structures, Gradients and Work.
>> - Few Textbooks covering the field.
>> - What headway has been made in the last 10 years?
>> - Define Self Organization and/or Emergence.
>> - Measures: Reynolds number, Correlation Length, etc.
>> - What's the rush -- its emerging itself!
>> - It's not a science but an approach.
>> - This is silly and you are all chasing your tails!
>>
>>      -- Owen
>>
>> Owen Densmore
>> http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org
>>
>>
>>
>> ============================================================
>> 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
>
>
> ============================================================
> 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