Chu Dominique
School of Computing, University of Kent, CT2 7NF, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
Theory Biosci. 2011 Sep;130(3):229-45. doi: 10.1007/s12064-011-0121-4. Epub 2011 Feb 2.
This article assumes a specific intuitive notion of complexity as a difficulty to generate and/or assess the plausibility of models. Based on this intuitive understanding of complexity, it identifies two main causes of complexity, namely, radical openness and contextuality. The former is the idea that there are no natural systems. The modeler always needs to draw artificial boundaries around phenomena to generate feasible models. Contextuality is intimately connected to the requirement to simplify models and to leave out most aspects. Complexity occurs when contextuality and radical openness cannot be contained that is when it is not clear where the boundaries of the system are and which abstractions are the correct ones. This concept of complexity is illustrated using a number of example from evolution.
本文假定了一种将复杂性视为生成和/或评估模型合理性的困难程度的特定直观概念。基于这种对复杂性的直观理解，它识别出复杂性的两个主要成因，即极端开放性和情境性。前者指不存在自然系统的观点。建模者总是需要在现象周围划定人为边界以生成可行的模型。情境性与简化模型并忽略大多数方面的要求紧密相关。当情境性和极端开放性无法被控制时，即当系统的边界不明确且哪些抽象是正确的不明确时，就会出现复杂性。文中用一些来自进化领域的例子对这种复杂性概念进行了阐释。
