Complexity and Dynamical Systems Theory

• Complexity and dynamical systems theory avoids the mistake of anthropomorphizing natural phenomena.
• It acknowledges that the tools used to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems are not isomorphic to the systems themselves.
• Living systems are harder to model than non-living systems due to their increased degrees of freedom.
• The present state of a system is a confluence of its past states, and understanding this non-linearity is key to predicting future states.
• The study of complex systems emphasizes the relationality and embeddedness of systems within their environment.