ABSTRACT
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What is complexity? A seemingly straightforward question perhaps, but as of yet no widely
accepted answer is available. Given the diversity of usage it may prove useful to expand the question
slightly. This can be done in a number of ways. What is complexity theory? What is complexity
thinking? What are complexity studies? How is complexity measured? What is algorithmic
complexity? Each of these alternative questions regards the notion of complexity in a different
light. For example, according to Badii and Politi (1997, 6) “a ‘theory of complexity’ could be viewed
as a theory of modeling.” whereas Lucas (2004) suggests that a theory of complexity is concerned
with the understanding of self-organization within certain types of system. Baddii and Politi there-
fore point towards a philosophy of science whereas Lucas points towards a set of tools for analyzing
certain types of system. A special issue of the international journal Emergence (2001) contained a
collection of nine papers from nine different authors, each offering their answer to the question
“What is complexity science?” in nine different ways. It is often said of postmodernism that there are
as many postmodernisms as there are postmodernists-the situation regarding complexity is not
so different.
