| When | Thursday 3:00 - 4:30 |
| Teacher Name | Bent Schmidt-Nielsen |
| Target Age Range | None - Adult |
| General Grade Level | Middle School, Lower High School, Upper High School, College, All Welcome |
| Ability Level | Intermediate, Advanced |
| Skill Requirements/Prerequisites | |
| Book Title | "Complexity: A Guided Tour" |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-521441-5 |
| Family Provided Materials | |
| Instructor Provided Materials | Additional reading materials. Pproject building materials (wood, electricals, electronics, etc.) |
| Study Group Style | Lecture, Discussion, Activity |
| Description | The Origins of Complexity: From a Thermostat-in-a-Box to the Business Cycle Through hands-on activities, reading, and discussion, we will explore the origins of complexity. We will start by building a thermostatically-controlled heated box, and then jointly explore ways of controlling the inevitable temperature fluctuations that occur in such systems. We will progress to a general study of complex systems including computers, biological systems, and economies. To learn about business cycles, the group will run a simulation of an economy. The discussions should be suitable for participants with a wide range of previous experience. There will be no restrictions on age or level. However, much of the material studied would be suitable for a college seminar. We will be using a good deal of material from this book: "Complexity: A Guided Tour" by Melanie Mitchell. I recommend it highly. Additional materials (reading, building, etc.) will be provided by the instructor. |