Complex systems
Complex Systems
Complex Systems (pronunciation: /kəmˈpleks ˈsɪstəmz/) are systems composed of many components which may interact with each other. In many cases they are systems that are difficult to describe and predict due to the interactions that can occur between their parts.
Etymology
The term "complex system" is derived from the Latin complexus, which means "twisted together", and the English word system, which comes from the Latin systema, meaning "a whole compounded of several parts or members".
Definition
In medicine, a complex system can refer to the human body as a whole, or any of its subsystems (e.g., the nervous system, the immune system, etc.). These systems are considered complex because they are composed of many different parts that interact in non-linear ways, leading to emergent behavior that cannot be predicted from the behavior of the individual parts.
Related Terms
- Emergence: The process by which complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions.
- Non-linear system: A system in which the output is not directly proportional to the input.
- Chaos theory: The study of complex systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions.
- Systems biology: An interdisciplinary field that focuses on complex interactions within biological systems.
See Also
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