This book explores the process of modeling complex systems in the widest senseof that term drawing on examples from such diverse fields as ecologyepidemiology s... » 

This book explores the process of modeling complex systems in the widest senseof that term drawing on examples from such diverse fields as ecologyepidemiology sociology seismology as well as economics. It also provides themathematical tools for studying the dynamics of these systems. Boccara takes acarefully inductive approach in defining what it means for a system to becomplex and at the same time addresses the equally elusive concept ofemergent properties. This is the first text on the subject to drawcomprehensive conclusions from such a wide range of analogous phenomena. TOCIntroduction. How to Build up a Model. I. MeanField Type ModelsDifferential Equations. Recurrence Equations. Chaos. II. AgentBased ModelsCellular Automata. Networks. Powerlaw Distributions. «