1st Edition

Systems Science Methodological Approaches

By Yi Lin, Xiaojun Duan, Chengli Zhao, Li Da Xu Copyright 2013
    399 Pages 174 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    399 Pages 174 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    By making use of the principles of systems science, the scientific community can explain many complicated matters of the world and shed new light on unsettled problems. Each real science has its own particular methodology for not only qualitative but also quantitative analyses, so it is important to understand the organic whole of systems research with operable mathematical methods. Systems Science: Methodological Approaches presents a mathematical explanation of systems science, giving readers a complete technical formulation of different systemic laws. It enables them to use a unified methodology to attack different problems that are hard, if not impossible, for modern science to handle.

    Following a brief history of systems science, the book explores:

    • Basic concepts, characteristics, properties, and classifications of general systems
    • Nonlinear systems dynamics and the theory of catastrophe
    • Dissipative structures and synergistics
    • Studies of chaos, including logistic mapping, phase space reconstruction, Lyapunov exponents, and chaos of general single relation systems
    • Different aspects and concepts of fractals, including a presentation of L systems analysis and design
    • Complex systems and complexity, with a discussion of how the phenomena of "three" and complexity are related, and how various cellular automata can be constructed to generate useful simulations and figurative patterns
    • Complex adaptive systems and open complex giant systems, with introduction of the yoyo model and practical applications
    • Complex networks and related concepts and methods

    The book concludes with several case studies that demonstrate how various concepts and the logic of systems can be practically applied to resolve real-life problems, such as the prediction of natural disasters. The book will be useful in directing future research and applications of systems science on a commonly accepted platform and playground.

    A Brief History of Systems Science
    What Is Systems Science?
    Development History of Systems Science
    System of Modern Science and Technology
    Disciplinary Characteristics of Systems Science
    Some Philosophical Thoughts of Systems Science
    Philosophical Significance of Systemic Epistemology
    Some Unsettled Questions
    Organization of This Book
    Open-End Problems
    Concepts, Characteristics, and Classifications of Systems
    Fundamental Concepts
    Properties of Systems
    Dynamics and Time Systems
    Classification of Systems
    Systems Defined on Dynamic Sets
    Open-End Problems
    Nonlinear Systems Dynamics and Catastrophe
    Mathematical Description of Systems Dynamics
    Dynamic Systems Theory of Nonlinear Systems
    Catastrophe Theory
    Open-End Problems
    Self-Organization: Dissipative Structures and Synergetics
    Organization and Self-Organization
    Dissipative Structures
    Synergetics
    Some Philosophical Thoughts
    Open-End Problems
    Chaos
    Phenomena of Chaos
    Definition of Chaos
    Logistic Mapping—Chaos Model
    Phase Space Reconstruction
    Lyapunov Exponents
    Case Studies and Fields of Applications
    Some Philosophical Thoughts on Chaos
    Chaos of General Single-Relation Systems
    Open-End Problems
    Fractals
    Different Aspects of Fractals
    L-Systems—Analysis and Design
    Iterative Function Systems
    Open-End Problems
    Complex Systems and Complexity
    Simple Giant Systems
    Characteristic Analysis of Complex Systems
    Complexity
    Cases on Association of Complexity and Simplicity
    Conservation Law of Informational Infrastructure
    Open-End Problems
    Complex Adaptive Systems
    Basics of Complex Adaptive Systems
    How an Agent Adapts and Learns
    From Parts to Whole—The ECHO Model
    Modeling CASs with ECHO
    Swarm Simulation Platform
    Open-End Problems
    Open Complex Giant Systems
    Classification of Giant Systems
    Open Complex Giant Systems
    Internet—An Open Complex Giant System
    Significance of Studying Open Complex Giant Systems
    Research Methods of Open Complex Giant Systems
    Systemic Yoyos: Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Model
    Examples of Applications
    Open-End Problems
    Complex Networks
    Introduction
    Complex Network Models
    Generation Mechanism
    Processes on Complex Networks
    Network and Complexity
    Open-End Problems
    Case Studies
    Systems Evaluation
    Systems Scientific Analysis for Positioning Accuracy of Satellite
    Navigation System
    Temporal Analysis of Social Networks
    Values of College Students in China
    Bibliography
    Index

    Biography

    Dr. Yi Lin, also known as Jeffrey Yi-Lin Forrest, is a specially appointed professor in economics, finance, systems science, and mathematics at several major universities in China as well as tenured professor of mathematics at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (Slippery Rock campus). His research interests are mainly in the area of systems research and applications in a wide-ranging number of disciplines of the traditional sciences, including mathematical modeling, foundations of mathematics, data analysis, theory and methods of predictions of disastrous natural events, economics and finance, management science, and philosophy of science.

    Dr. Xiaojun Duan is a professor at the Department of Mathematics and System Sciences, College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China. Her research interests include general systems theory and applications, data analysis, and complex system test and evaluation.

    Mr. Chengli Zhao is a lecturer at the Department of Mathematics and Systems Science of the National University of Defense Technology. Mr. Zhao’s scientific interests and publications cover studies of complex systems, massive data computing, and web data mining.