Introduction to Complex Systems- The Whole is Different Than the Sum of the Parts

1.1  Physics, biology, or social science?

The science of complex systems is not an offspring of physics, biology, or the social sciences, but a unique mix of all three. Before we discuss what the science of complex systems is or is not, we focus on the sciences from which it has emerged. By recalling what physics, biology, and the social sciences are, we will develop an intuitive feel for complex systems and how this science differs from other disciplines. This chapter thus aims to show that the science of complex systems combines physics, biology, and the social sciences in a unique blend that is a new discipline in its own right. The chapter will also clarify the structure of the book.