> [I'm very interested in the Kauffman
>>stuff, which I understand only on a surface level. How is complexity theory
>>viewed in the scientific community at large? Is it still too new to have a
>>strong opinion about?]
>
>For a studied and informed opinion about Kauffman, and design by chaos in
>general see the interview with Schutzenberger in the latest issue of Origins
>and Design. You can purchase it or subscribe or see it at
>
Thanks for mentioning this Art. This interview with Schutzenberger
was great. On page 30 of the same issue there is a review of
Kauffman's <At Home in the Universe> by Dembski.
Back to Schutzenberger, he raises some valid criticisms of complexology,
some that I have raised here myself. One insightful criticism is that
some seek to study complexity by looking at systems that are really
simple. I was pleased to see that Per Bak in his new book on self-
organized criticality makes an effort of weeding out some of these
topics from the list of examples of complex systems. In particular
I was very happy to see that he agrees with me that deterministic
chaotic systems are not complex.
Reading back over the Schutzenberger interview reminded me of a
question I had. In a discussion of Dawkins methinksitislikeaweasel
word game he said:
This demonstration is a trompe-l'oeil, and what is more,
Dawkins doesn't describe precisely how it proceeds. At the
beginning of the exercise, randomly generated phrases
appear rapidly to approach the target; the closer the
approach, the more the process begins to slow. It is the
action of mutations in the wrong direction that pulls
things backward. In fact, a simple argument shows that
unless the numerical parameters are chosen deliberately,
the progression begins to bog down completely.
-- Schutzenberger interview
Does anyone know what this simple argument is and which
numerical parameters must be chosen deliberately? The
last is particularly interesting since it is analogous to
fine-tuning. What would be really interesting is to write
a program for the word game, leaving these parameters to
be specified at run time so one can observe the effects.
Actually, I have a copy of this program but it is written in
C and I'm too old to be learning a new language :). I also
have uuencoded version which can be sent by e-mail if
anyone wants a copy. You have to be able to un encode it
of course.
Brian Harper | "If you don't understand
Associate Professor | something and want to
Applied Mechanics | sound profound, use the
The Ohio State University | word 'entropy'"
| -- Morrowitz
Bastion for the naturalistic |
rulers of science |