Complexity science compared with established science
| Complexity science | Established science |
|---|---|
| From Begun et al.18 | |
| Holism | Reductionism |
| Indeterminism | Determinism |
| Relationships among entities | Discrete entities |
| Non-linear relationships | Linear relationships |
| Critical mass thresholds | Marginal increases |
| Quantum physics | Newtonian physics |
| Influence through iterative non-linear feedback | Influence as direct result of force from one object to another |
| Expect novel and probabilistic world | Expect predictable world |
| Understanding; sensitivity analysis | Prediction |
| Focus on variation | Focus on averages |
| Behavior emerges from bottom up | Behavior specified from top down |
| Metaphor of morphogenesis | Metaphor of assembly |