Quoting Jochen Fromm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Just as formal, symmetrical and regular systems can be described by > mathematics and 'equation-based modeling', complex systems can > in principle be described by a 'NKS' and agent-based modeling > - which seems to be more an art than a science.
In context, I think is a verification issue. ABMs are useful for poking around a complicated system to see what matters and what doesn't by using a familiar and direct way of describing things, and to leave the abstractions for later. ABMs complement traditional techniques of analysis by extending data. The imperative programming languages that are typically used to make the simulations are prone to a variety of programming mistakes but the continue to be used because 1) they are common and 2) they provide an easy way to think about side effects (e.g. modifications to a landscape). Equation-based modelling is more like functional programming, e.g. programming languages like Haskell that are side-effect free. I see ABMs moving to these kinds of programming languages so that components of a simulation can be shown to be correct, and preferably by automated means. As a practical matter, I think it isn't a big deal. Unit testing during development by experienced programmers/modelers does a good job of shaking out bugs. Marcus ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
