(highlight:: Assuming Systems are in Equilibrium Doesn't Account for Real-World Chaos
Transcript:
Speaker 1
When we explain all we build models in physics, but also in economics or some biology and also in chemistry, etc, etc, etc, we assume that what makes that piece of paper? Kind of flutter around isn't there. In other words, the air buffeting it and pushing it and it kind of reacting and then the air pushing back and it reacting to that kind of feedback process. We assume isn't there. So we teach and we build theories of the world, which are based on the idea that systems are essentially an equilibrium that when they deviate from that, they do it in a simple way and that There's none of this kind of funny business of kind of fluttering to one side in some unpredictable way. And why do we not teach that? Because we have no mathematics for that because we can't say that that's a deterministic type of system. I can absolutely say where that piece of paper is going to go. All I know is it's pretty much going to make its way to the ground.)
- Time 0:04:46
-

(highlight:: The Sand Pile as an Analogy for Self-Organized Criticality in Complex Systems
Transcript:
Speaker 2
So you've got a sand purr and you're dropping sand regularly, but randomly in space. So regularly in time, randomly in space. And sometimes when you drop a greater sand, nothing will happen, it'll just land on the side of the tower. So you can drop another piece and nothing will happen either.
Speaker 1
But then eventually, you get an avalanche.
Speaker 2
And how big or how small that avalanche is going to be totally dependent on the slope of that particular sand and where the sand, new particle hits it, and whether it sets off other avalanches In a chain reaction. And that's the bit you're saying it's not deterministic. So it looks like you've got this system where you're feeding the sand and sand, and sand dropping out the bottom. But where those avalanches are happening and the extent of those avalanches, you just can't predict that.)
- Time 0:12:37
-

(highlight:: The Role of Failures in Materials and the Importance of Equilibrium in Science
Key takeaways:
• Failures in materials are a result of a feedback process that can occur at different scales.
• The presence of cracks in an airplane wing is an example of a failure at a noticeable scale.
• Failures can also occur at scales that are not immediately visible.
• The study of failures and non-equilibrium systems should be the starting point of science.
• This podcast explores key concepts of complexity science, such as emergence, self-organization, and adaptation.
• The podcast is produced by Brady Howard and Weveland Creative.
• To stay updated, subscribe or follow the show in your podcast app.
• The host of the podcast is Sean Brady.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
We're even for failures in materials because after all, they're a build up in some sense of branching process, a feedback process is that kind of sometimes go to a scale that you notice, Uh oh, is cracks in my airline wing, my airplanes, when I'm just about to get on the plane, I could see cracks, or often stay at scales that you don't know. Yeah, but that's just a scale of visual seeing those things cross all scales. So that should actually be the start in some sense of science, not, oh, I'm going to show you a whole bunch of things which are in equilibrium. And I'm not even going to mention anything that isn't in equilibrium.
Speaker 2
Neil, thank you very much for being on the show.
Speaker 1
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2
Thanks for listening to Simplifying Complexity, where we look at the key concepts of complexity science with expert minds from across the world. Concepts like emergence, self-organization, adaptation, networks, scaling, tipping points, and much more. This podcast was produced by Brady Howard and Weveland Creative. And make sure you don't miss an episode, be sure to subscribe to or follow the show in your podcast app. I'm Sean Brady, and I'll see you in)
- Time 0:25:02
-