Self-organisation in complex systems (Q2704302)

The question of self-organisation is one of the central issues in the study of system complexity, and the paper briefly examines four broad classes of processes so involved (in self-organisation): inherent computation, nonlinear and nonequilibrium processes, structure emergence and evolution. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEInherent computation is first illustrated by examples of growth and animal behaviour in biology. Then one briefly discusses the fact that an important source of self-organisation arises from the dynamics of nonlinear and nonequilibrium processes. There are many ways in which order emerges in complex systems, and one of them is the interactions between the elements of the system. The question is examined here, and one considers more especially directed graphs, matrix models, dynamical systems and cellular automata. Finally there is the section on natural and artificial evolution, that is to say the process of overall change in complex systems. Evolutionary and adaptive programming are considered.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 0954.00019].