ESOS

We can only generate complex [[Self-Organization|self-organizing]] systems with [[Emergence|emergent]] properties in a goal-directed, straightforward way if we look at the microscopic level and the macroscopic level (for local and global patterns, properties and behaviors), examine causal dependencies across different scale and levels, and if we consider the congregation and composition of elements as well as their possible interactions and relations. A complex system can only be understood in terms of its parts and the interactions between them, if we consider static and dynamic aspects. In other words we need a combination of top-down and bottom-up approach, which considers all sides: static parts and dynamic interactions between them, together with the macroscopic states of the system and the microscopic states of the constituents. Sunny Y. Auyang has proposes a method named “synthetic microanalysis” which claims to combine synthesis and analysis, composition and decomposition, a bottom-up and a top-down view, and finally micro- and macrodescriptions. She describes the idea vividly in chapter 2 of her interesting book, but unfortunately she does not say how her approach works for MAS exactly. The book focuses on complex systems in general, and physical systems (with particles instead of agents) in particular.

We can only generate complex [[Self-Organization|self-organizing]] systems with [[Emergence|emergent]] properties in a goal-directed, straightforward way if we look at the microscopic level and the macroscopic level (for local and global patterns, properties and behaviors), examine causal dependencies across different scale and levels, and if we consider the congregation and composition of elements as well as their possible interactions and relations. A complex system can only be understood in terms of its parts and the interactions between them, if we consider static and dynamic aspects. In other words we need a combination of top-down and bottom-up approach, which considers all sides: static parts and dynamic interactions between them, together with the macroscopic states of the system and the microscopic states of the constituents. Sunny Y. Auyang has proposes a method named “synthetic microanalysis” which claims to combine synthesis and analysis, composition and decomposition, a bottom-up and a top-down view, and finally micro- and macrodescriptions. She describes the idea vividly in chapter 2 of her interesting book, but unfortunately she does not say how her approach works for MAS exactly. The book focuses on complex systems in general, and physical systems (with particles instead of agents) in particular.

The experimental bottom-up approach alone is successful only for small and simple systems like 1-dim Cellular Automata, where you can enumerate all possible systems. For large systems the amount of possibilities and number of configurations grows so large (or even "explodes") that the goal gets lost or the thicket of microscopic details becomes impenetrable. To quote Auyang again: “blind deduction from constituent laws can never bulldoze its way through the jungle of complexity generated by large-scale composition” (p.6).

The experimental bottom-up approach alone is successful only for small and simple systems like 1-dim Cellular Automata, where you can enumerate all possible systems. For large systems the amount of possibilities and number of configurations grows so large (or even "explodes") that the goal gets lost or the thicket of microscopic details becomes impenetrable. To quote Auyang again: “blind deduction from constituent laws can never bulldoze its way through the jungle of complexity generated by large-scale composition” (p.6).

The macroscopic view is useful and necessary to delineate possible configurations, to identify composite subsystems on medium and large scales, to set goals for microscopic simulations and finally to prevent scientists from losing sight of desired macroscopic phenomena when they are immersed in analytic details.

The macroscopic view is useful and necessary to delineate possible configurations, to identify composite subsystems on medium and large scales, to set goals for microscopic simulations and finally to prevent scientists from losing sight of desired macroscopic phenomena when they are immersed in analytic details.