Physics, Nature and Society - A Guide to Order and Complexity in Our World

This wide-ranging and accessible book serves as a fascinating guide to the strategies and concepts that help us understand the boundaries between physics, on the one hand, and sociology, economics, and biology on the other. From cooperation and criticality to flock dynamics and fractals, the author addresses many of the topics belonging to the broad theme of complexity. He chooses excellent examples (requiring no prior mathematical knowledge) to illuminate these ideas and their implications. The lively style and clear description of the relevant models will appeal both to novices and those with an existing knowledge of the field.

List of contents

A glance at the method.- The automata.- Chaotic and noisy.- Critical worlds.- Chance and necessity.- Size does not always matter.- Living things.- Interacting humans.- Epilogue.

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From the book reviews:
"This book, part of 'The Frontiers Collection' series, is a perfect introductory guide to the complex behaviors occurring throughout the world. Marro (Univ. of Granada, Spain) writes in an engaging manner, providing clear discussions about topics such as social networks, living systems, altruism, financial investment, percolation, risk taking, avalanches, consciousness, etc., and their relationship to each other. ... Summing Up: Recommended. All academic library collections." (F. Potter, Choice, Vol. 51 (11), July, 2014)

Product details

• Authors: Joaquin Marro, Joaquín Marro
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 23.08.2016
• EAN: 9783319349732
• ISBN: 978-3-31-934973-2
• No. of pages: 204
• Dimensions: 154 mm x 13 mm x 237 mm
• Weight: 342 g
• Illustrations: XII, 204 p. 146 illus. in color.
• Series: The Frontiers Collection
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Theoretical physics; B, Artificial Intelligence, popular science, Life Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Game Theory, Economics, Social and Behav. Sciences, game theory, Interdisciplinary studies, Complex systems, Life sciences: general issues, Physics and Astronomy, Dynamical systems, Technology and Engineering, Popular works, Mathematics and Computing, Physical Sciences, Popular Science, general, Developmental biology, Dynamics & statics, Statistical physics, Statistical Physics and Dynamical Systems, Mathematics and science