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This site is your gateway to learning more about the science of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). It offers a general, non-mathematical overview for understanding and working with complexity. The site introduces the principles of complexity, unpacks how complex systems are governed, and illustrates how they solve problems.
Complexity dynamics can be used to unpack many different kinds of emergent phenomena: the ripples of sand in a desert, the pathways of ants in a colony; the behaviors of people in a society. Each of these systems is in some way 'complicated'. But is that the same as being complex? And if not - what, in the end, is useful about complexity?
Complex Adaptive Systems are a distinct class of systems capable of processing information, energy or flows in highly efficient ways. Such systems can be harnessed to solve a host of diverse problems and provide a useful lens for understanding various phenomena. This is because:
This website is intended both for those new to the study of complex systems, and to those who may already be familiar with complex dynamics but wish to broaden their knowledge. Using non-technical language, it will help users:
The site serves as a guide to a new way of thinking about the world - one where we can perceive a host of diverse phenomena through the lens of complex systems. The site unpacks terms, tools, thinkers, principles and methods from CAS research, showing the links between different ideas and approaches.
If you are exploring complexity for the first time, and looking for a general overview prior to jumping into specifics, click on the What is Complexity button at the top of the page.
To begin navigating, click on the circle and spoke icon at the center top of the page: this will take you to the interactive "Navigating Complexity" cartograph, organized in three parts:
The website also has a wealth of content to assist in illustrating and contextualizing these ideas. This includes: People, Terms, & Resources (videos, books, articles, thought experiments, & more.
If you want to jump directly into a topic, term, or author related to complexity (or just browse some of the general site resources), go to the'In General' section at the upper right half of the page and begin exploring.
To understand how the six governing principles that organize this site were determined, visit the {{Background-Approach}} page at the top right. This page also contains some historical background related to complexity thinking.
You can also learn about the site's author here: The people behind the scenes
Photo Credit and Caption: jeremy-bishop-FzrlPh20l7Q-unsplash
Cite this page:
Wohl, S. (2022, 3 June). Navigating Complexity. Retrieved from https://kapalicarsi.wittmeyer.io/
Navigating Complexity was updated June 3rd, 2022.
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Navigating Complexity © 2015-2024 Sharon Wohl, all rights reserved. Developed by Sean Wittmeyer
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