Introductory Concepts

Abstract

Observing many natural phenomena (such as a flame, a smoke-ring, a procession of clouds) we are often surprised by their regularity, their organization, their dynamical order. The science of complex systems has undertaken the study of these aspects of simplicity which emerge from interactions amongst a myriad of elementary “objects”. It has stepped forward to answer the questions which present themselves when we observe more closely, with greater attention, many systems with which we have become acquainted from daily experience.