Diversity and Complexity Quotes

“Often, scholars distinguish between complex systems—systems in which the entities follow fixed rules—and complex adaptive systems—systems in which the entities adapt. If the entities adapt, then the system has a greater capacity to respond to changes in the environment.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“If we can understand how to leverage diversity to achieve better performance and greater robustness, we might anticipate and prevent collapses.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment. —JOHANNES KEPLER”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“Chaos is not randomness. Chaos refers to extreme sensitivity to initial conditions. If we change the initial point by a little bit in a chaotic system, we end up on different paths. Many chaotic systems are completely deterministic. If you know the current state, then you know all future states. When we speak of randomness, we often mean the exact opposite: complete unpredictability. The next flip of the coin does not depend in any way on the current flip of the coin.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“Systems that produce complexity consist of diverse rule-following entities whose behaviors are interdependent. Those entities interact over a contact structure or network. In addition, the entities often adapt.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“When scientists speak of diversity, they can mean any of three characteristics of a population. They can mean variation in some attribute, such as differences in the length of finches’ beaks. They can mean diversity of types, such as different types of stores in a mall. Or they can mean differences in configuration, such as different connections between atoms in a molecule.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“Physics becomes chemistry, chemistry becomes biology, biology becomes psychology, and so on. Or, put another way: cells emerge from the interactions of atoms, organs emerge from the interactions of cells, and societies emerge from the interactions of people. Each level of emergence produces higher order functionalities.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“intervention can have large effects. To do that, we must undertake the relatively pedestrian exercises of defining the pieces and figuring out how those pieces fit together.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“diverse, connected, interdependent entities whose behavior is determined by rules, which may adapt, but need not. The interactions of these entities often produce phenomena that are more than the parts. These phenomena are called emergent.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“creates synergies. It allows the whole to be more than the parts. And diversity between communities provides robustness to major changes.”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity

“importance, essence, and averaging. The importance of diversity in complex systems is the central theme of this book. Why does diversity matter? What roles does it play? I show that diversity has many roles and effects. Diversity can provide insurance, improve productivity, spur innovation, enhance robustness, produce collective knowledge,”
― Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity