NOTE

Beauty is the ultimate defence against complexity. – David Gelernter, Machine Beauty (paraphrased)

When the parts are not enough

A complex system is one whose behaviour cannot be predicted from knowing each of its parts, because a large share of the story lies in the relations. I think two kinds of error are common here: oversimplifying (one edge for every relation) and watching the system from only one angle.

Pieces

• A classified life: the integrated mind versus the compartmentalised mind, and its effect on designing care and recommender systems (a personal view).
• The hidden geometry of “us” (Q-Analysis): a mathematical method for seeing hidden structure when relations involve many parties.
• Multi-perspective observability: why no single observer is enough, with the example of a beverage production line.
• Holism and reductionism: two views in analysis: the two views that complexity calls on together.

complexitycomplex_systemhidden_structure

Related: Analysis and systems analysis and Conflict and conflicting systems.