Embrace Noise for Exploration and Control

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Emergent theories do not always provide simple descriptions of complex systems, making it essential to examine their generic nature and the role of noise. Noise, often seen as an annoyance, should be reframed as a crucial element in maintaining the persistence of systems. In evolutionary theory, noise like mutation plays a vital role in the evolution of complex life, as it facilitates exploration of new solutions. However, when it comes to exploiting effective solutions, noise levels need to be moderated. This interplay of high and low levels of noise highlights the need for control in complex systems, where both its constructive and destructive properties can be harnessed strategically.

Complexity scientists have been able to make an impressive amount of progress despite the fact that there is not universal agreement about what "complexity" actually is. We know it when we see it, perhaps, but there are a number of aspects to the phenomenon, and different researchers will naturally focus on their favorites. Today's guest, David Krakauer, is president of the Santa Fe Institute and a longtime researcher in complexity. He points the finger at the concept of agency. A ball rolling down a hill just mindlessly obeys equations of motion, but a complex system gathers information and uses it to adapt. We talk about what that means and how to think about the current state of complexity science.

Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2023/07/10/242-david-krakauer-on-complexity-agency-and-information/

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David Krakauer received his D.Phil. in evolutionary biology from Oxford University. He is currently President and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute. Previously he was at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he was the founding director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and the Co-director of the Center for Complexity and Collective Computation. He was included in Wired magazine's list of "50 People Who Will Change the World."

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