From: NET%"hanss@sepa.tudelft.nl" 13-JUL-1995 03:54:38.42
To: NET%"JPRIDEAUX@Gems.VCU.EDU" "Jeff Prideaux"
CC:
Subj: RE: measuring complexity
Perhaps "complexity", like "quality", is of
> such a nature that it is illusive to conventional methods.
I think you are right in ther way that we use complexity as meaning
complicated to look at, as Bruce does I think.
Quality is often seen as 'the difference of standards'. If you switch a
standard you have to compute differently, etc. So to compare
greenness with length is difficult. Humans do seem to have this
difficulty with quality, because they are lazy thinkers, and want things
to add up [literally] in out western society [imho].
So I do not agree that you can't measure complexity if you have a
standard agreed upon. Of course, if you don't undwerstand a lot of the
complexity, you can't make a good standard, and you can't measure it.
..perhaps
> requiring a different way of looking at it...perhaps it is
> necessary not to look at it as an object (something you can attach
> a number to)...but as something that can only be approached by
> looking at the relationships or organization of certain interacting
> components.
Sure, and if you give these things a number [like the exponents they
use in chaos-theory] y0u can measure it. Of course every language is
reeducing everything eventually.
..and perhaps the distinguishing thing separating the
> "complex" from the "non-complex" is the existance of a closed
> causal loop, self-reference, strange loop, inpredicativity, or
> vicious circle (all terms for the same thing). This is what Rosen
> claims.
These are very specific ways of defining complexity, but that's alright
to me.
Theories come and go, the frog stays [F. Jacob]
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