ESOS
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== Iterations and Refinements == | == Iterations and Refinements == | ||
| - | [[Image:Topdown_vs_Bottomup.png| | + | [[Image:Topdown_vs_Bottomup.png|300px|thumb|left|Top-Down vs. Bottom Up]] |
One round trip from the whole to its parts and back is probably not enough to generate complex self-organizing systems with emergent phenomena. If the two-way method of “synthetic microanalysis” works at all, you will certainly need some iterations and a number of stepwise refinements until the method converges to a suitable solution. | One round trip from the whole to its parts and back is probably not enough to generate complex self-organizing systems with emergent phenomena. If the two-way method of “synthetic microanalysis” works at all, you will certainly need some iterations and a number of stepwise refinements until the method converges to a suitable solution. | ||
It is important to identify and refine before each iteration suitable subsystems, basic compounds and essential phenomena on the macroscopic level, which are big and frequent enough to be typical or characteristic of the system, but small and regular enough to be explained well by a set of microscopic processes. Many macroscopic descriptions are only an approximation, idealization and simplification of real processes. | It is important to identify and refine before each iteration suitable subsystems, basic compounds and essential phenomena on the macroscopic level, which are big and frequent enough to be typical or characteristic of the system, but small and regular enough to be explained well by a set of microscopic processes. Many macroscopic descriptions are only an approximation, idealization and simplification of real processes. | ||
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In the first top-down phase towards the bottom level, we must find the significant, relevant and salient properties, events and interactions, especially the crucial events responsible for butterfly effects, avalanches and cascades. We seek the concrete, precise and deterministic realization of abstract concepts. Many microscopic details are insignificant, irrelevant and inconsequential to macroscopic phenomena. In the second bottom-up phase towards the top level, you have to compare the results of the synthesis and simulation which the desired structure. | In the first top-down phase towards the bottom level, we must find the significant, relevant and salient properties, events and interactions, especially the crucial events responsible for butterfly effects, avalanches and cascades. We seek the concrete, precise and deterministic realization of abstract concepts. Many microscopic details are insignificant, irrelevant and inconsequential to macroscopic phenomena. In the second bottom-up phase towards the top level, you have to compare the results of the synthesis and simulation which the desired structure. | ||
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In a typical iteration of “synthetic microanalysis”, you start from the “top” and work your way down to the micro-level, constructing agent roles and interaction rules in just the way necessary to generate the behavior observed on “top”. This procedure can be iterated by stepwise refinement of agents and their interactions, which should include necessary changes in the environment, until the desired function is achieved. | In a typical iteration of “synthetic microanalysis”, you start from the “top” and work your way down to the micro-level, constructing agent roles and interaction rules in just the way necessary to generate the behavior observed on “top”. This procedure can be iterated by stepwise refinement of agents and their interactions, which should include necessary changes in the environment, until the desired function is achieved. | ||
| - | In the next round, you start start again from the global structure or macroscopic pattern, and try to refine the possible underlying microstates and micromechanisms. Could these states and mechanisms lead to the desired large-scale structure? What kind of coordination, conflict-resolution and local guidance is needed additionally? What kind of roles and role-transitions are possible? | + | In the next round, you start start again from the global structure or macroscopic pattern, and try to refine the possible underlying microstates and micromechanisms. |
| + | Could these states and mechanisms lead to the desired large-scale structure? What kind of coordination, conflict-resolution and local guidance is needed additionally? What kind of roles and role-transitions are possible? | ||
Thus you would proceed roughly like this while trying to determine possible states, roles and role transitions: | Thus you would proceed roughly like this while trying to determine possible states, roles and role transitions: | ||
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== Genetic Algorithms == | == Genetic Algorithms == | ||
| - | [[Image:SMA.png| | + | [[Image:SMA.png|300px|thumb|right|Synthetic Microanalysis]] |
The methods of synthetic microanalysis and evolutionary algorithms are quite similar, see the figure for a comparison. Both require the use of simulation, experimentation and selection. In the case of evolutionary algorithms without “humans in the loop”, the fitness evaluation is done automatically by fitness functions, in the case of synthetic microanalysis with “humans in the loop” it is done by the human engineer. | The methods of synthetic microanalysis and evolutionary algorithms are quite similar, see the figure for a comparison. Both require the use of simulation, experimentation and selection. In the case of evolutionary algorithms without “humans in the loop”, the fitness evaluation is done automatically by fitness functions, in the case of synthetic microanalysis with “humans in the loop” it is done by the human engineer. | ||
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== Science vs. Engineering == | == Science vs. Engineering == | ||
| + | [[Image:Scientific_Method.png|320px|thumb|left|The Scientific Method]] | ||
This SMA method is nothing else but the | This SMA method is nothing else but the | ||
scientific method applied to engineering, | scientific method applied to engineering, | ||
the combination of engineering and science. | the combination of engineering and science. | ||
| + | The application of the scientific method by the engineer | ||
| + | is the solution to the fundamental [[ESOA]] and ESOS problem | ||
| + | It is the step-by-step investigation of hypotheses with experiments | ||
| + | and simulations. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The scientific method is an iterative process that is the basis for any scientific inquiry, and it can also be used to examine artificial systems and simulated worlds (for instance synthetic societies of multi-agent systems). The scientific method follows a series of four basic steps: observe-formulate-predict-test | ||
| + | |||
| + | :(1) identify a problem you would like to solve, | ||
| + | :(2) formulate a hypothesis, | ||
| + | :(3) test the hypothesis, | ||
| + | :(4) collect and analyze the data, | ||
| + | :(5) make conclusions and restart with (1) | ||
| + | |||
Remarkably, some computer scientists do not | Remarkably, some computer scientists do not | ||
| - | want to hear this. They are of course scientists, | + | want to hear this: the scientific method applied |
| + | to engineering. They are of course scientists, | ||
and as scientists they use of course the | and as scientists they use of course the | ||
scientific method. How do we dare to question | scientific method. How do we dare to question | ||
| - | this? Yet there is a difference between | + | this? Yet there is a clear difference between science |
| - | the scientist and the engineer | + | and engineering, between the scientist and the engineer. |
| + | The scientist tries to explain complexity by simple rules, | ||
| + | the engineer tries to hide complexity by simple user interfaces. | ||
| + | The scientist tries to explore nature by building machines, | ||
| + | the engineer tries to build machines by exploring possible constructions. | ||
The scientist seeks to understand what is, | The scientist seeks to understand what is, | ||
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What happens if both meet each other, if we | What happens if both meet each other, if we | ||
combine the characteristics of pure engineering | combine the characteristics of pure engineering | ||
| - | with pure science | + | with pure science? Surprisingly, the best |
| - | and worst. The worst | + | and worst. The worst are "buzzword engineers" who |
| - | + | produce only hot air and "engineering scientists" | |
| - | + | who only seek to create problems that never were before. | |
| - | produce | + | They are scientists and engineers who have got it wrong: |
| - | hide complexity and produce the truth. | + | engineers should not conceal the truth and produce |
| + | complexity, they should hide complexity and produce the truth. | ||
(unfortunately, many computer scientists fall in | (unfortunately, many computer scientists fall in | ||
this category. There are so many hot air merchants | this category. There are so many hot air merchants | ||
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to be important.). | to be important.). | ||
| - | |||
But there are also the opposite | But there are also the opposite | ||
cases. The best cases are "theory engineers" or "scientific | cases. The best cases are "theory engineers" or "scientific | ||
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These are the extremes. | These are the extremes. | ||
| - | + | Between the extremes, if we leave the best and | |
| - | + | the worst cases behind, we find the | |
| + | engineer who seeks to understand the | ||
useful system he his building, | useful system he his building, | ||
| - | and | + | and the scientist who seeks to create |
new kind of interesting theories that never | new kind of interesting theories that never | ||
existed before. | existed before. | ||
Exactly what we need for a cyclic | Exactly what we need for a cyclic | ||
round-trip process, which can be named | round-trip process, which can be named | ||
| - | synthetic microanalysis. | + | synthetic microanalysis (the scientifc method |
| + | for the engineer which means rapid prototyping | ||
| + | and agile development). | ||
== Books and References == | == Books and References == | ||
