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Complexity and Postmodernism

Complexity and Postmodernism

Understanding Complex Systems

by Paul Cilliers

Publisher Psychology Press
Published Date 1998
Page Count 156
Categories Computers / Machine Theory, Philosophy / General, Philosophy / Metaphysics, Philosophy / Mind & Body, Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern, Science / System Theory, Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects
Language EN
Average Rating N/A (based on N/A ratings)
Maturity Rating No Mature Content Detected
ISBN 0415152860
Book Cover This work explores the notion of complexity in the light of contemporary perspectives from philosophy and science. Paul Cilliers contributes to our general understanding of complex systems, and explores the implications of complexity theory for our understanding of biological and social systems. Postmodern theory is reinterpreted in order to argue that a postmodern perspective does not necessarily imply relativism, but that it could also be viewed as a manifestation of an inherent sensitivity to complexity. As Cilliers explains, the characterization of complexity revolves around analyses of the process of self-organization and a rejection of traditional notions of representation. The model of language developed by Saussure - and expanded by Derrida - is used to develop the notion of distributed representation, which in turn is linked with distributed modelling techniques. Connectionism (implemented in neural networks) serves as an example of these techniques. Cilliers points out that this approach to complexity leads to models of complex systems that avoid the oversimplification that results from rule-based models.
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