The Many Roots of Complexity Science
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Post Your Favorite Roots in Chronological Order if you can [See explanation of project at end]
1948 - Norbert Weiner published Cybernetics
He used the newly formed fields of statistical Information and Control Theory to establish the role of feedback and nonlinearity in engineering design and biology. [Cybernetics] (Contibuted by J. DeRosa)
1950 - Norbert Weiner published The Human Use of Human Beings
In this companion book to Cybernetics, Weiner expounded on the principles of Cybernetics with no equations and warned of the dangers of scientific research that did not consider the social implications of the technology and research. [Cybernetics] (Contibuted by J. DeRosa)
1958 - Norbert Weiner published Nonlinear Problems in Random Theory
This book is decidedly mathematical and lays out the framework for the general functional analysis of nonlinear systems. For a clear exposition of the mathematics see the book written by one of his students M. Schetzen The Volterra and Wiener Theory of Nonlinear Systems [System Theory] (Contibuted by J. DeRosa)
1977 - Ilya Prigogine wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
For his groundbraking work in non-equilibrium thermodynamics-especially non-dissipative structures. [Chemistry] (Contibuted by J. DeRosa)
1984 - Ilya Prigogine and Isabelle Stengers publish Order out of Chaos: Man's New Dialogue with Nature
A brilliant account of the journey from Newtonian science to complex dynamical systems. An emphasis on thermodynamics and dissipative struvtures. One of the works that triggered the study of complexity science. [Chemistry] (Contibuted by J. DeRosa)
1999 - Gary William Flake published the The Computational Beauty of Nature. Computer explorations of fractals, chaos, complex systems and adaptation. (Contributed by --Luciano Oviedo 19:03, 24 June 2007 (MDT))
Use This Simple Template: (or refine it)
Date - Name(s) of Person(s) followed by Milestone
Description and significance (short text) [Source Discipline(s)] (Contributed by your name) [so we can backtrack to update]
== Team Members and Contributors== (Hopefully many will contribute)
- Joe DeRosa
Explanation of Project
The Roots of Rock and Roll go deep into Gospel, Rythmn and Blues, Folk and Bluegrass - even the familiar I-IV-I-V-IV-I chord progressions can be found in Bach and Beethoven. When Elvis Presley and the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and 1964, it was significant because huge audiences tuned in every Sunday night at 8:00. Rock and Roll became a legitimate part of the culture. When the Rolling stones hit the concert circuit in 1969, it was significant because they were billed as the greatest rock and roll band in the world, but also because they became drugs-sex-rock-and-roll cultural icons of the new social norms.
Here we all sit in the Rock and Roll of Complexity Science. Our roots are in physics, biology, sociology, etc. Collectively we know the “who, what and why” of the key milestones in our fields that led us here: The Roots of Complexity Science. This is a project for all those who wish to participate from the CSSS Class of 07. Who knows where the trajectory will lead?