ABSTRACT
D. Bonchev Department of Marine Sciences, Program for Theory of Complex
Natural Systems, Texas A&M University, Ford Crockett Campus, 5007 Avenue U, Galveston, Texas 77551, USA
4.1 Introduction................................................................................ 157
4.2 The Notion of Entropy in Physics............................................ 158
4.3 Information Content of Structures........................................... 160
4.4 Symmetry-Based Information-Theoretic Indices................... 161
4.6 Substructure-Based Information Measures of Complexity.... 175
4.7 Concluding Remarks.................................................................. 180
4.8 References................................................................................... 182
4.1 Introduction
The intuitive idea of complexity as an antonym of simplicity is an inherent one for the people of the twenty-first century. We live in a complex environment and deal with a complex technology. Every day we face the challenging complexity of life at our work and at home. We enjoy the complexities of our education and entertainment. Could, however, the fuzzy idea of complexity be transformed into a rigorously defined scientific notion? Could one quantitatively assess complexity and, if the answer is “yes,” why is it needed?
