Notes on Complexity by Neil Theise will remain one of my favourite books for a long time, if not forever. It made me laugh, cry, smile and, above all, gave me an overwhelming sense of hope and wisdom coupled with feelings of utter awe. In this short read, you’ll learn about what complexity theory is about, why I became interested in it, and what Professor Neil Theise shares in his latest book on the subject.
Complexity as a means to understand the ‘Infosphere’
I have been interested in the concept of complexity and its related theories for the past year, as part of my academic studies. I discovered it when looking for information about how we understand “order” and “disorder” as well as the confusion that results from phenomena which appear to be neither. Complexity, as explained in Neil Theise’s book, introduces a third category of order that precisely exists in this in-betweenness.
As a misinformation specialist, I have been confronted to questions of fine lines, blurred limits, and grey zones among rigid concepts that can’t seem to accurately describe reality. For example, I’ve been exploring the differences between ‘propaganda’ and ‘public diplomacy’, and between ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’, only to realise that those definitions are inherently intersubjective. Depending on who attempts to define them, their meaning changes. This is common.
We are often inapt to describe the challenges we encounter in a way that is objectively valid. We all exist in our own individual reality, embedded in various belief systems and information eco-systems. This is where complexity comes in and offers a great framework to make sense of conceptual shortcomings in the literature on information manipulation and interference (as well as virtually all other fields of science).
What is Complexity Theory?
Complexity theory (or simply, complexity) is “the study of how complex systems manifest in the world” (p. 4). Complex systems are found everywhere, from cells and ant colonies to financial systems and meteorological events. They are studied in different disciplines such as biology, physics, economy, and sociology.
Complex systems have “emergent properties”, which derive from the system as a whole, thus making it greater than the sum of its parts. Those characteristics include complementarity and holarchy, self-organisation from local interactions, and low levels of disorder and randomness. They allow the system to constantly explore and evolve into adjacent possibilities, never settling into a state of equilibrium but neither degenerating into chaos, although that option isn’t to be totally excluded either. We could potentially gear towards mass extinction events or machine-like determinism without even realising it, a chilling account that is thankfully brightened by the prospects of progress that complexity brings to our modern vision of the world.
Bite-Sized Stories of Science
In Notes on Complexity, Neil Theise does a brilliant job of clearly explaining what complexity is, where it is found, and what its properties imply for our human existence on earth. Despite the intricacies of this theory, the book is notably accessible and easy to follow, with fascinating examples and questions that will keep any reader captivated. It offers invaluable insights into the philosophy of science, the way we’ve understood knowledge production, and how we perceive our environment and individual lives.
Through Theise’s words, I could understand complex ideas from quantum mechanics to molecular biology, all shining light on the universal relevance of complexity. I’ve learned about Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, the limits of Einstein’s physical theories, Schrödinger’s cat experiment, and the long-lasting legacy of the Vienna Circle.
Through these bite-size stories of science, the book provided meaning behind many of the intuitions I developed over a decade in academia, including that our knowledge is anything but certain. Information isn’t objective, it is always enmeshed into our perspectives and a reflection of our biases. It does not make knowledge less valid, but it does make it just as valid as other forms of understanding we may tend to ignore or dismiss.
Lessons on Life and Consciousness
More than anything, Notes on Complexity provides eye-opening lessons about consciousness and community. It demonstrates the value of listening to each other despite seeming differences. When I see the anger and resentment growing from polarisation in our society, this provides a reassuring and powerful message.
The book shows how we aren’t separate individuals living different existences, but one earth expressing itself through our flesh and bones, through nature, through matter. Echoing Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis, Theise asks: “are we in fact the Earth itself, whose atoms have self-organized to form these transitory beings that think of themselves as self-sufficient and separate from each other, even though they only ever arose from and will inevitably return to the atomic substance of the planet?” (p. 70).
Last but not least, this book encouraged me to share more of my thoughts and to not underestimate the power of my own actions, now knowing the science behind the power of local interactions for global transformation. The book is a beacon of hope for our global society.
written by Sophie L. Vériter
Hi! I’m Sophie
I am a social scientist and world explorer. In my work, I explore the intersection of technology, information, democracy, and security. Nothing makes me happier than learning and discovering the wonders of the world. I consider myself an enthusiastic feminist and self-care advocate.
