Science

Complexity theory remains a big challenge for the sciences. In the natural sciences research on phenomena of complex systems is blossoming, and also in social sciences chaos theory is becoming a more serious topic as was demonstrated in the former  issue of the journal. For social scientists the question is still, how and in what way complexity theory can be used to describe and explain social phenomena.  It is true that chaos theory can be used as a source of methaphors that articulates the intuition of social scientists which are confronted with phenomena of chaos and order? However, in what way can those methaphors scientifically be underpinned, made to a model which can be falsified and verified?

Group dynamics seems to be a field in the social sciences in which those metaphors are lively present. Our Canadian colleagues John Campbell, J. David Flynn & James Hay take this for a starting point for a fascinating study into the question how complexity theory can be used  to construct a model of group development. In this study methaphors are made exact in models with the aid of Wolfram’s theory of four attractor classes and  Kauffman’s NK models.  On the other hand those models  are confronted  with precise data derived from observations by a facilitator and participants of training workshops for members of a labour union. The results confirmed that these training groups made three clearly identifiable transitions among the regions of complexity theory.  The research is concluded with a discussion of how complexity theory can organize earlier research and theory on group development, and offers suggestions for more quantitative research into this field. In this way it is showed how methaphors of chaos and order can be put on a route to falsification and verification. Moreover it is demonstrated that computer simulation of metaphors can be used to sharpen the intuition of social scientists.

On another side of our world our colleagues in Japan Masao Kubo & Yoshiyuki Sasakabe

take the mathematical equations of the chaos theory as the starting points of a research into the group behaviour of robots, or in other terms the interaction between mobile agents. A dynamics that promotes the emergence of new formations for groups of autonomous mobile agents is proposed. The dynamics is based on the synchronization of coupled networked chaotic oscillators, and utilizes chaotic itinerancy of the oscillators for reformation of the group. It is the other way around, and for social scientists the interesting question could be posed whether that dynamics can be used to sharpen metaphors about the behaviour of groups of human beings in emergency situations (a fire breaking out, panic in a  crowd, and so on).

 

Art

In these articles intuition of the researchers plays an important role, it is more or less an art to made that intuition into science. However, as has been demonstrated in the history of the sciences the borderline between art and science is fuzzy. The International Scientific Journal of Methods and Models of Complexity has the intention, whenever possible and suitable, to combine science with art. Art and artists often have a different but also very interesting view on the world. In art there is no right or wrong, only more or less interesting. The International Scientific Journal of Methods and Models of Complexity likes to combine science with art, and presents art as another way of looking at the world.

With this we hope to give new inspiration and new ideas about the same issue from a different perspective. Art, that you can enjoy, like or dislike, may inspire you to artistic or scientific answers. The internet opens new opportunities for combining science and art.

 

The first piece of art that we like to publish, as an experiment, is of Anna Abee. Anna Abee is a Dutch cineaste who combines science with art. She made the video Strukturen 2[1] ( 6’50).

Anna Abee is inspired by the chaos theory and made several video films of structures, of which we publish Strukturen 2. She is inspired by structures in nature like the pink blossom of blooming trees in Amsterdam, the young growing corn and wheat fields in Belgium. In itself these structures are repetitive and can be easily described mathematically and biologically. However, the wind moves the subjects in forms that can hardly be described. These kinds of structures look very chaotic. The same chaotic structures can be found in the waves of the water in a lake when a ship sails through it. Looking at these structures one realizes that we as scientists are still far from describing these everyday common things. The Chinese music coming from the 14th century gives the distance we need to realize the chaotic structures.

 

If you like to send some art for publishing please contact us. Like the scientific material, art will also be reviewed. And for this work  of science and art we would like to thank our reviewers of this issue.

 

C. van Dijkum and  D. J. DeTombe                                                  Chief Editors

 

 

 

 

 


[1] The pronunciation of the video is Strukturen (German). We like to thank the AVD of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Europe, to make it possible to show the video on the internet.