Systems, Self-Organisation and Information: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

Complex system studies are a growing area of central importance to a wide range of disciplines, ranging from physics to politics and beyond. Adopting this interdisciplinary approach, Systems, Self-Organisation and Information presents and discusses a range of ground-breaking research in complex systems theory. Building upon foundational concepts, the volume introduces a theory of Self-Organization, providing definitions of concepts including system, structure, organization, functionality, and boundary. Biophysical and cognitive approaches to Self-Organization are also covered, discussing the complex dynamics of living beings and the brain, and self-organized adaptation and learning in computational systems. The convergence of Peircean philosophy with the study of Self-Organization also provides an original pathway of research, which contributes to a dialogue between pragmatism, semeiotics, complexity theory, and self-organizing systems. As one of the few interdisciplinary works on systems theory, relating Self-Organization and Information Theory, Systems, Self-Organisation and Information is an invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students interested in complex systems theory from related disciplines including philosophy, physics, and engineering.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Introduction Alfredo Pereira Jr., William A. Pickering, and Ricardo Gudwin Part I - Foundational Studies 1. The Idea of Self-Organization Michel Debrun 2. The Dynamics of Primary Self-Organization Michel Debrun 3. Basic Concepts of Systemics Ettore Bresciani Filho and Itala M. Loffredo D’Ottaviano 4. The Role of Information in Self-Organization Alfredo Pereira Jr. and Maria Eunice Quilic Gonzalez 5. On the Self-Organizing of Reality-Totality as Living Knowledge Ricardo Pereira Tassinari Part II - Biophysical and Cognitive Approaches 6. Vital Flow: the Self-Organization Stage Romeu Cardoso Guimarães 7. Implication and Information: A Quantitative-Informational Analysis of Material Implication Marcos Antonio Alves and Itala M. Loffredo D’Ottaviano 8. Self-Organization in Computational Systems Ricardo Ribeiro Gudwin Part III - Practical Issues 9. Self-Organization and Action: A Systemic Approach to Common Action Mariana Claudia Broens 10. Complexity and Informational Privacy: A Study in the Systemic Perspective João Antonio de Moraes and Maria Eunice Quilici Gonzalez 11. An Understanding of Solidarity Economy in the Light of Self-Organization Theory Renata Cristina Geromel Meneghetti 12. Multilingualism and Social Self-Organization in Brazil Claudia Wanderley Part IV - Semiotic Studies 13. Prolegomena to a Semeiotic Theory of Self-Organization Vinicius Romanini 14. Habit Formation and Self-Organization: A Peircean Approach Ivo A. Ibri 15. Origin of the Cosmos and Self-Organization in the Work of Charles Sanders Peirce Lauro Frederico Barbosa da Silveira 16. Diagrammatic Logic as a Method for the Study of Cosmovisions Enidio Ilario

About the Author :
Alfredo Pereira Jr. is Professor at Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Brazil. William Alfred Pickering holds a doctorate in Linguistics, and is currently a freelance translator. Ricardo Ribeiro Gudwin is an Associate Professor at the University of Campinas, Brazil.