Exploring the science of complexity
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 28): Concluding remarks – The challenge of applying complexity science to development and humanitarian work
Many working in the aid world live with complexity daily. There is a real need to start to explicitly recognise…
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 27): Concluding remarks – Our View: Champions, pragmatists or critics?
The complexity concepts may be more useful in addressing questions of ‘how’ international aid work should be undertaken, rather than…
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 26): Conclusions – What kinds of practical uses are there for complexity science in international aid?
The concepts can be used in a highly flexible manner – for example, in combination or individually, to augment existing…
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 25): Conclusions – What is the value of complexity science for those engaged in humanitarian and development work? Specifically, does complexity science tell us anything new?
The concepts of complexity theory provide stepping stones towards a more realistic understanding.
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 24): Conclusions – What kinds of phenomena can complexity science help us better understand?
Where we see systems of interconnected elements and dimensions involving adaptive agents, we are more likely to see complex relationships…
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 23): Conclusions – How does complexity science differ from existing ways of understanding and interpreting international development and humanitarian problems?
The science of complexity stands in contrast with the two standard methods of scientific enquiry.
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 22): Conclusions – What do the complexity science concepts offer to those facing international development and humanitarian problems?
Simplifications of complex realities leave aside so many of the important elements of those realities which increasingly beg for attention…
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 21): Conclusions – How do the concepts of complexity science fit together?
The nature of complexity means that the concepts are a loose network of interconnected and interdependent ideas.
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 20): Conclusions – summary
In this concluding section, we will reflect on the questions we posed at the start of our journey.
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Exploring the science of complexity series (part 19): Concept 10 – Co-evolution
As agents operate in a system, changes in the system and changes in the other actors can feed back, leading…