Introduction to Applications of Physics and Mathematics to Social Science
Book Title
Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science
Document Type
Book Chapter
ISBN
978-1493919789
Publication Date
2009
Editors
Robert A. Meyers
Keywords
Social Science, physics, mathematics
Description
The human mind is often regarded as the most complex structure in the universe. If anything could be argued to be of higher complexity it is a collection of interacting minds: social groups and societies. Kluver argues that social cognitive complexity(see Social Cognitive Complexity)stems from the fact that such systems consist of multiple (at least two – social and cognitive) levels that are constantly at flux due to the multiple influences both between and within levels.
The complexity of the subject matter of the social sciences has made adequate description using the traditional models of mathematics and physics difficult. For a long time it has been argued that tools of mathematics and physics are not adequate for social processes and therefore science had to proceed along two independent fronts that seemed irreconcilable (Snow, 1993).
DOI
10.1007/978-0-387-30440-3
Publisher
Springer
City
New York
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences
NSUWorks Citation
Nowak, Andrzej and Urszula A. Strawinska-Zanko. (2009). Introduction to Applications of Physics and Mathematics to Social Science. In Robert A. Meyers (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science .