Complexity and biocomplexity: Overview of some historical aspects and philosophical basis

IF 3.1 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Ecological Complexity Pub Date : 2023-12-19 DOI:10.1016/j.ecocom.2023.101072

Srdjan Kesić

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Complexity has radically changed human understanding of the world environment and continues challenging our best scientific theories. In a rapidly changing research landscape, historical and philosophical insights into Complexity can heighten awareness of the proper theoretical perspectives scientists should adopt to advance the study of biocomplexity, including ecological complexity. The present work aims to deepen this awareness and disclose how researchers should generally approach, scientifically and philosophically, the question of what Complexity is, which is of great importance not only to the scientific community but also far beyond. First, this article reviews some critical historical turning points that led to Complexity. Second, the paper discusses philosophical-scientific approaches to the emergence as one of the most critical features of complex systems. The critical ideas behind attempts to understand the generators of complexity in nature are then presented, focusing on the living world. Finally, the review focuses on understanding the ecosystem- and organism-oriented perspectives of biocomplexity. We conclude that the genuine problem of the origin of complexity theory and biocomplexity will continue to inspire generations of researchers to search for new, more comprehensive mathematical and computational frameworks to explain biological hierarchies in order to further advance the scientific understanding of life.

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复杂性和生物复杂性：一些历史问题和哲学基础概述

复杂性从根本上改变了人类对世界环境的认识，并不断挑战着我们最好的科学理论。在瞬息万变的研究环境中，对复杂性的历史和哲学洞察可以提高科学家对正确理论视角的认识，从而推进包括生态复杂性在内的生物复杂性研究。本文旨在深化这种认识，并揭示研究人员应如何从科学和哲学角度来看待 "什么是复杂性 "这一不仅对科学界而且对其他领域都具有重要意义的问题。首先，本文回顾了导致复杂性产生的一些关键历史转折点。其次，本文讨论了作为复杂系统最关键特征之一的 "涌现 "的哲学-科学方法。然后，本文以生命世界为重点，介绍了试图理解自然界复杂性产生因素背后的重要思想。最后，本综述侧重于从生态系统和生物体的角度来理解生物复杂性。我们的结论是，复杂性理论和生物复杂性起源的真正问题将继续激励几代研究人员寻找新的、更全面的数学和计算框架来解释生物层次结构，从而进一步推动对生命的科学理解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ecological Complexity 环境科学-生态学

CiteScore

7.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Ecological Complexity is an international journal devoted to the publication of high quality, peer-reviewed articles on all aspects of biocomplexity in the environment, theoretical ecology, and special issues on topics of current interest. The scope of the journal is wide and interdisciplinary with an integrated and quantitative approach. The journal particularly encourages submission of papers that integrate natural and social processes at appropriately broad spatio-temporal scales. Ecological Complexity will publish research into the following areas: • All aspects of biocomplexity in the environment and theoretical ecology • Ecosystems and biospheres as complex adaptive systems • Self-organization of spatially extended ecosystems • Emergent properties and structures of complex ecosystems • Ecological pattern formation in space and time • The role of biophysical constraints and evolutionary attractors on species assemblages • Ecological scaling (scale invariance, scale covariance and across scale dynamics), allometry, and hierarchy theory • Ecological topology and networks • Studies towards an ecology of complex systems • Complex systems approaches for the study of dynamic human-environment interactions • Using knowledge of nonlinear phenomena to better guide policy development for adaptation strategies and mitigation to environmental change • New tools and methods for studying ecological complexity