ABSTRACT
Complex systems theory is a new and rapidly developing field. Much remains to be done. The ideas and principles that have already been proposed must be studied in a multitude of actual examples. Complex systems theory cuts across the boundaries between conventional scientific disciplines. It makes use of ideas, methods and examples from many disparate fields. And its results should be widely applicable to a great variety of scientific and engineering problems. One of the disappointments in complex systems theory so far is that the approaches and content of most of the papers that appear, reflect rather closely the training and background of their authors. Only time will ultimately tell the fate of complex systems theory. Throughout the natural and artificial world, one observes phenomena of great complexity. Yet research in physics and to some extent biology and other fields has shown that the basic components of many systems are quite simple.
