The Complexity of Complexity: Structural vs. Quantitative Approach

摘要

The first part of this paper is devoted to a short critical review of the concepts frequently used to characterize complexity. It will be followed by a choice of the conceptual framework for this study based on methodological reflection of the author from his earlier publications in which concept of information plays fundamental role. Finally, more comprehensive approach will be proposed for the study of complexity in which both selective and structural manifestations of information are considered. The former is associated with the quantitative characterization of complexity, the latter with the structural one. The choice of the conceptual framework of information and the use of the formalism developed for the study of information in the study of complexity is justified by their explanatory power regarding several aspects of complex systems.