The hidden networks of everything (Complexity and Network)
Our world is filled with an abundance of data. Albert-László Barabási, a network scientist, believes that understanding the underlying structure and relationships of complex systems is crucial. Barabási’s research has challenged the notion of random connections and led to the discovery of a more accurate representation of how these systems are organized. Barabási’s exploration began with the vast internet. Surprisingly, he found that the intricate web of connections did not follow random patterns but instead followed a power load distribution. He named these networks “scale-free networks.” Barabási’s groundbreaking work reveals that new connections in our networks tend to form with...
What is Complexity? Lecture given by David Krakauer
The lecture explores the concept of complexity, considering it as a scientific discipline and comparing it with fields like physics and biology. The author questions what defines a discipline and suggests that complexity stands out because it is not reductionist: it does not try to explain systems by breaking them down into parts, but rather aims to understand the behavior that emerges from the interaction between those parts. The science of complexity deals with phenomena that lie between absolute order and total chaos, a space where structure and unpredictability coexist. Here, traditional physics equations are no longer sufficient, and new...
Emergence & Systems Thinking
In this video, we talk about systems thinking and how it is related to the idea of emergence. A system is a set of elements and relationships between those elements through which they form a whole. Thus when we look at a composite entity like a tree or a chair we could equally ask a different question from talking about the parts. We could ask how are the parts interrelated to form the whole organization. This is a very different way of looking at the world, this approach to reasoning about some entity is called synthesis. Where synthesis means "the...
What is a complex system?
Complexity theory offers valuable insights into how complex systems work—systems that include everything from pandemics and cities to education, cybersecurity, and ecosystems. In the field of systems change, nearly all systems we aim to influence—like healthcare, energy, transportation, politics, and finance—are complex adaptive systems. Just as a mechanic must understand how a car works to repair it effectively, we must understand complexity to manage or change such systems successfully. Without this understanding, well-intentioned interventions often produce "unintended consequences" or "negative externalities." The main reason many attempts to address complex problems fail is the lack of understanding of complexity. Complexity theory...
Emergence and understanding of a complex world
Stephen Hawking predicted that the 21st century would be the "century of complexity," a view seemingly confirmed by the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to scientists who advanced research on complex systems. Complexity now plays a central role not only in physics but also in climate science, sociology, and economics, leading to what can be called a "revolution of complex systems." Modern global challenges—climate change, geopolitical tensions, economic crises, and migration—are increasingly complex, requiring decisions under uncertain and multifaceted conditions. This lecture cycle seeks to provide a deep, philosophical understanding of complexity as both a research object and a...