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Evolution of Evolution of Complex Complex SystemsSystems
Lecture 10: Technological Lecture 10: Technological systemssystems
Peter Andras / Bruce CharltonPeter Andras / Bruce Charlton
[email protected]@ncl.ac.uk
[email protected]@ncl.ac.uk
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ObjectivesObjectives
Writing, books, librariesWriting, books, libraries Simple and complicated machinesSimple and complicated machines Roads, vehicles, transportation Roads, vehicles, transportation
systemssystems Computers and softwareComputers and software Electronic communication systemsElectronic communication systems
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Writing - originsWriting - origins
Symbols written on stone, leather, Symbols written on stone, leather, paperpaper
Communication actions changing Communication actions changing the environment in a way that can the environment in a way that can be preserved (e.g., carving be preserved (e.g., carving symbols into stone, painting symbols into stone, painting symbols on silk)symbols on silk)
Objective: storage and Objective: storage and preservation of spoken languagepreservation of spoken language
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Extending the reference Extending the reference spacespace
Memory of verbal communications – Memory of verbal communications – written recordswritten records
Stored spoken language extends the Stored spoken language extends the reference space for human reference space for human communicationscommunications
Writing preserves the communications Writing preserves the communications making possible unaltered reference to making possible unaltered reference to them over a long time periodthem over a long time period
Note: interpretation of written Note: interpretation of written communication may change by referring communication may change by referring to a context made of a new set of other to a context made of a new set of other communicationscommunications
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GrammarGrammar
Rules of written languageRules of written language Restrain the continuations of Restrain the continuations of
written communicationswritten communications Provides a set of communications Provides a set of communications
(statements of grammatical rules) (statements of grammatical rules) that add meaning to written that add meaning to written communicationscommunications
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BooksBooks
Large amounts of written Large amounts of written communications – textscommunications – texts
Have a systematically organized Have a systematically organized internal referencing structure (i.e., internal referencing structure (i.e., sentences refer to other sentences, sentences refer to other sentences, chapters, sections)chapters, sections)
Have an external referencing structure Have an external referencing structure (i.e., formal references to other books, (i.e., formal references to other books, texts)texts)
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LibrariesLibraries
Collection of booksCollection of books Systematically organized Systematically organized
collectionscollections Provide structure to help Provide structure to help
referencing booksreferencing books
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Is this a system ?Is this a system ?
Are written communications Are written communications forming a system ?forming a system ?
Are written communications Are written communications reproducing themselves ?reproducing themselves ?
Is there a specialist language of Is there a specialist language of written communications ?written communications ?
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CommunicationsCommunications
Communication units: humans, Communication units: humans, books and texts (extensions of books and texts (extensions of humans, who create the humans, who create the communications contained in them)communications contained in them)
Text communications: meaning Text communications: meaning depends on the referential context, depends on the referential context, determining the expectations about determining the expectations about the communicationsthe communications
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ReferencingReferencing
GrammarGrammar Book structureBook structure Library structureLibrary structure
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ReproductionReproduction
Reproduction of written Reproduction of written communications happens in the communications happens in the context of societycontext of society
The written communications are The written communications are part of the societypart of the society
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Specialist languageSpecialist language
Written communications have a Written communications have a specialist language: the written specialist language: the written language (different from the language (different from the spoken language in terms of spoken language in terms of continuation distributions)continuation distributions)
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Communication density Communication density boundaryboundary
Texts reference texts or human Texts reference texts or human communications (e.g., experimental communications (e.g., experimental measurements)measurements)
Human communications reference texts Human communications reference texts regularly (e.g., articles in tabloids)regularly (e.g., articles in tabloids)
Written communications form a Written communications form a subsystem of the society, having a subsystem of the society, having a density boundary determined by the density boundary determined by the language of written communicationslanguage of written communications
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Writing, books and Writing, books and librarieslibraries
Written communications are a Written communications are a subsystem of the society, allowing the subsystem of the society, allowing the extension of human communications by extension of human communications by serving as memories of themserving as memories of them
Texts, books, libraries provide rule sets Texts, books, libraries provide rule sets (institutional framework) for human (institutional framework) for human communications adding meaning to communications adding meaning to them and providing long term them and providing long term preservation of thempreservation of them
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Simple machinesSimple machines
E.g., gunsE.g., guns Mechanical components organized Mechanical components organized
in well determined manner that in well determined manner that allows systematic interaction allows systematic interaction between thembetween them
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Complicated machinesComplicated machines
E.g., carsE.g., cars A large set of mechanical, A large set of mechanical,
chemical, electronic and other chemical, electronic and other components organized in a components organized in a systematic manner, allowing them systematic manner, allowing them to produce a complicated to produce a complicated beahviourbeahviour
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Machines Machines Machines are products of human Machines are products of human
communicationscommunications Human communications act upon the Human communications act upon the
environment, a well determined environment, a well determined sequence of such actions leads to the sequence of such actions leads to the formation of machine components and formation of machine components and the assembly of them as machinesthe assembly of them as machines
Machines are memories of these Machines are memories of these communications – they also facilitate communications – they also facilitate the reproduction of communications the reproduction of communications related to them (usage of machines)related to them (usage of machines)
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Machine communicationsMachine communications
Machines can produce behaviours (i.e., Machines can produce behaviours (i.e., changing constellation of their changing constellation of their components)components)
Such behaviours may be perceived by Such behaviours may be perceived by humans as communications, which have humans as communications, which have attached meaning by referring to other attached meaning by referring to other communications that determine communications that determine expectations about machine expectations about machine communicationscommunications
E.g., the blinking side lights of a carE.g., the blinking side lights of a car
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Machine grammarsMachine grammars The communication leading to the The communication leading to the
production of machines, communication production of machines, communication produced by machines, and communications produced by machines, and communications directly facilitated by the usage of machines directly facilitated by the usage of machines have sharp continuation distributionshave sharp continuation distributions
Simple communication grammars, i.e., Simple communication grammars, i.e., typically there is one or very few possible typically there is one or very few possible communication behaviours that may follow communication behaviours that may follow a previous communication behaviour (see a previous communication behaviour (see possible interactions in mechanical possible interactions in mechanical machines)machines)
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Are the machines systems Are the machines systems ??
Do they have a communication Do they have a communication density boundary ?density boundary ?
Do they reproduce themselves as Do they reproduce themselves as communication systems ?communication systems ?
Do they have a specialist language Do they have a specialist language defining their system ?defining their system ?
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CommunicationsCommunications
There are communications between There are communications between machines (e.g., automated assembly machines (e.g., automated assembly lines)lines)
There are many communications There are many communications between humans and machinesbetween humans and machines
Machine communications reference Machine communications reference human communications for the human communications for the generation of new communications in generation of new communications in the long termthe long term
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Referencing boundaryReferencing boundary
There is no clear referencing density There is no clear referencing density boundary between machine-machine boundary between machine-machine and machine-human communicationsand machine-human communications
Such boundaries may exist for a short Such boundaries may exist for a short time period and for a physically time period and for a physically restricted set of machines (e.g., restricted set of machines (e.g., automated factories needing automated factories needing relatively rare human interventions)relatively rare human interventions)
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ReproductionReproduction
Machines are reproduced by the Machines are reproduced by the intervention of human communications intervention of human communications and by referencing human and by referencing human communicationscommunications
Self-reproducing robots: reference a finite Self-reproducing robots: reference a finite set of human communications (original set of human communications (original design), AI is not able to provide them a design), AI is not able to provide them a self-expanding communication system self-expanding communication system that could guarantee longer term survival that could guarantee longer term survival and reproduction in an infinitely complex and reproduction in an infinitely complex and varying environmentand varying environment
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Machines and societyMachines and society Machines are products of human Machines are products of human
communications and can be seen as communications and can be seen as memories of these communicationsmemories of these communications
They produce behaviours that can be They produce behaviours that can be seen by humans as communications, seen by humans as communications, and these communications integrate into and these communications integrate into the society by facilitating the production the society by facilitating the production of further human communicationsof further human communications
Machines form extensions of the society, Machines form extensions of the society, and may form specialist subsystems and may form specialist subsystems involving also humans which produce involving also humans which produce communications for such subsystemscommunications for such subsystems
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RoadsRoads
Roman roads constituted a Roman roads constituted a significant component of Roman significant component of Roman expansion and of the empireexpansion and of the empire
German and US road systemGerman and US road system
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Roads and Roads and communicationscommunications
Roads are the product of human Roads are the product of human communications constituting communications constituting actions upon the environmentactions upon the environment
They provide signals for humans They provide signals for humans (e.g., road directions) and help the (e.g., road directions) and help the expansion of human expansion of human communicationscommunications
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Postal systemsPostal systems
Transportation on roads of written Transportation on roads of written human communications and other human communications and other human artefactshuman artefacts
Thurn and Taxis in mid 19Thurn and Taxis in mid 19thth century century Stamps, standard proceduresStamps, standard procedures
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Transportation systemsTransportation systems
Rail, ship, airplaneRail, ship, airplane Transport humans, written Transport humans, written
communications, artefacts, communications, artefacts, machinesmachines
Facilitate the expansion of the Facilitate the expansion of the system of human communicationssystem of human communications
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LanguageLanguage
Road signsRoad signs StampsStamps Standard proceduresStandard procedures
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Are they systems ?Are they systems ?
Is there a communication density Is there a communication density boundary ?boundary ?
Do they reproduce ?Do they reproduce ? Do they have a defining Do they have a defining
language ?language ?
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Roads, transportation and Roads, transportation and societysociety
Communicate with humans and facilitate Communicate with humans and facilitate human communications as forms of human communications as forms of memories of earlier human communicationsmemories of earlier human communications
Reproduction involves humansReproduction involves humans Form a part of the societyForm a part of the society Transportation systems may form specialist Transportation systems may form specialist
subsystems of the society defined by their subsystems of the society defined by their specialist language and involving specialist language and involving appropriate human communicationsappropriate human communications
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ComputersComputers
50s room size machines50s room size machines 70s cupboard / wardrobe size 70s cupboard / wardrobe size
machinesmachines 90s briefcase size machines90s briefcase size machines Computer behaviour: screen Computer behaviour: screen
display, printing, writing on the display, printing, writing on the disc, reading key pressing patternsdisc, reading key pressing patterns
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SoftwareSoftware
Computer programs written by Computer programs written by humans or other computer humans or other computer programsprograms
Instruct the computer to perform Instruct the computer to perform behavioursbehaviours
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Programming languagesProgramming languages
Special communication language Special communication language with a grammarwith a grammar
Several generations:Several generations: Machine languageMachine language Structured programming languagesStructured programming languages Object oriented languagesObject oriented languages Component based languagesComponent based languages
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Software systemsSoftware systems
Many programs interacting and Many programs interacting and communicating with each othercommunicating with each other
E.g., Windows, LinuxE.g., Windows, Linux
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Realisation of software Realisation of software systemssystems
Instructions and dataInstructions and data Processor, memory, diskProcessor, memory, disk Bits, flip-flops Bits, flip-flops
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Are the software systems Are the software systems real systems ?real systems ?
Do they have a referencing density Do they have a referencing density boundary ?boundary ?
Do they reproduce ?Do they reproduce ? Do they have a defining Do they have a defining
language ?language ?
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CommunicationsCommunications
Communications produced by humans or Communications produced by humans or computers are stored as programs and computers are stored as programs and datadata
Such communications are received by a Such communications are received by a computer that produces corresponding computer that produces corresponding behaviourbehaviour
Computer behaviour is perceived by Computer behaviour is perceived by humans or the computer and provides humans or the computer and provides reference for further human or computer reference for further human or computer communicationscommunications
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LanguageLanguage Software systems have their own specialist Software systems have their own specialist
language (e.g., communication behaviours and language (e.g., communication behaviours and continuation rules describing the behaviour of continuation rules describing the behaviour of the MS Word in terms of effects of hitting key the MS Word in terms of effects of hitting key combinations)combinations)
Software systems are the products of Software systems are the products of communications defined by rules of communications defined by rules of programming languages, these communications programming languages, these communications are referred by the specialist communications are referred by the specialist communications of the software system (i.e., the specialist of the software system (i.e., the specialist behaviours are determined by the software behaviours are determined by the software code describing the software system)code describing the software system)
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Software systems and social Software systems and social system memorysystem memory
Software systems are memories of Software systems are memories of social communications leading to social communications leading to the creation of themthe creation of them
Software systems describe a part Software systems describe a part of the society and constitute a of the society and constitute a memory of thatmemory of that
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Software systems and Software systems and society – 1 society – 1
Large software systems have a dense Large software systems have a dense internal referencing structure, and they internal referencing structure, and they also reference human communications also reference human communications (e.g., some programs written by (e.g., some programs written by humans, or interactions with humans)humans, or interactions with humans)
Reproduction involves human Reproduction involves human communications communications
There are to some extent self-There are to some extent self-expanding software systemsexpanding software systems
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Software systems and Software systems and society – 2society – 2
Software systems and computers are Software systems and computers are extensions of the society and they extensions of the society and they facilitate the reproduction of the societyfacilitate the reproduction of the society
Software systems capture a relatively Software systems capture a relatively small part of the environment (the part small part of the environment (the part described by their human creators) and described by their human creators) and they lack the automated expansion to they lack the automated expansion to capture morecapture more
Reflexive software systems may represent Reflexive software systems may represent a new level, but so far they are in a very a new level, but so far they are in a very experimental stageexperimental stage
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Software systems and Software systems and society – 3society – 3
Software systems form subsystems of the Software systems form subsystems of the society with the participation of human society with the participation of human communicationscommunications
They are similar to the system of written They are similar to the system of written communications, with the difference that communications, with the difference that they produce a wider variety of they produce a wider variety of behaviours, allowing a wide range of behaviours, allowing a wide range of human communications to be produced human communications to be produced with reference to software system with reference to software system communicationscommunications
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Software systems and Software systems and society – 4society – 4
The communication subsystems of The communication subsystems of software systems sit on the top of the software systems sit on the top of the communication subsystems defined by communication subsystems defined by computer programming languagescomputer programming languages
A personally used software defines a A personally used software defines a small social subsystem containing small social subsystem containing communications between the human communications between the human user and the computer running the user and the computer running the softwaresoftware
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Software systems and Software systems and society – 5society – 5
Software systems as memories are similar Software systems as memories are similar to written and material memories of to written and material memories of human communicationshuman communications
Software systems have the additional Software systems have the additional feature that they can communicate feature that they can communicate between thembetween them
Software systems may constitute the root Software systems may constitute the root of the system of communications between of the system of communications between memories of human communicationsmemories of human communications
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Telegraph and telephoneTelegraph and telephone
Telegraph: 19Telegraph: 19thth century century Telephone: 20Telephone: 20thth century century Machine systems providing Machine systems providing
transportation for human transportation for human communications over large communications over large physical distancesphysical distances
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Radio and TVRadio and TV
Electronic communication systems Electronic communication systems allowing broadcasting of human allowing broadcasting of human communicationscommunications
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Fax, e-mail and data Fax, e-mail and data communicationscommunications
Advanced forms of electronic Advanced forms of electronic communicationscommunications
Allow transmission of a wide range Allow transmission of a wide range of human communicationsof human communications
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Mobile telephonyMobile telephony
1G – 70-80s1G – 70-80s 2G – 90s 2G – 90s 3G – after 20003G – after 2000
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Specialist languageSpecialist language
Special signals transmitted Special signals transmitted between machinesbetween machines
Machines communicate with Machines communicate with humans and transmit human humans and transmit human communicationscommunications
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ReferencingReferencing
Most of the references are to Most of the references are to human communicationshuman communications
Exceptions: computer networks, Exceptions: computer networks, Internet – many references to Internet – many references to computer communications, but computer communications, but they also refer to human they also refer to human communicationscommunications
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System natureSystem nature
Extension of the human society, Extension of the human society, e.g., mobile phone systemse.g., mobile phone systems
Internet – subsystem of the societyInternet – subsystem of the society
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Technological systems – 1 Technological systems – 1
Extensions of the human societyExtensions of the human society Help the expansion of the human Help the expansion of the human
society, by preserving and reproducing society, by preserving and reproducing human communications and by human communications and by transmitting them over long physical transmitting them over long physical and temporal distancesand temporal distances
They reproduce by referencing human They reproduce by referencing human communicationscommunications
They capture relatively small part of the They capture relatively small part of the environmental complexityenvironmental complexity
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Technological systems – 2Technological systems – 2
They may form subsystems of the societyThey may form subsystems of the society Large subsystems: written communications, Large subsystems: written communications,
InternetInternet Small subsystems: communication system Small subsystems: communication system
between a computer software and its userbetween a computer software and its user Software systems may constitute the root of Software systems may constitute the root of
the system of communications between the system of communications between memories of human communicationsmemories of human communications
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Summary Summary Writing, books, librariesWriting, books, libraries Machines and machine systemsMachines and machine systems Transportation systemsTransportation systems Computers and software systemsComputers and software systems Electronic communication systemsElectronic communication systems Technological systems are made of memories of human Technological systems are made of memories of human
communicationscommunications Technological systems are extensions of the human Technological systems are extensions of the human
society helping its expansionsociety helping its expansion Technological systems may form communication Technological systems may form communication
subsystems of the societysubsystems of the society Software systems may constitute the root of the system Software systems may constitute the root of the system
of communications between memories of human of communications between memories of human communicationscommunications
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Q&A – 1 Q&A – 1
1.1. Is it true that the continuation rules of Is it true that the continuation rules of written language have the same written language have the same distributions as the continuation rules distributions as the continuation rules of spoken language ?of spoken language ?
2.2. Is it true that the structure of a library Is it true that the structure of a library adds meaning to the communications adds meaning to the communications contained in the books of the library ?contained in the books of the library ?
3.3. Is it true that communications between Is it true that communications between the components of a modern car the components of a modern car constitute a communication system ?constitute a communication system ?
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Q&A – 2 Q&A – 2
4. Is it true that roads are similar to machines 4. Is it true that roads are similar to machines that help the expansion of the society system that help the expansion of the society system ??
5. Is it true that the railways constitute a 5. Is it true that the railways constitute a system with its own specific language ?system with its own specific language ?
6. Is it true that many communications between 6. Is it true that many communications between the components of the MS Office suit refer to the components of the MS Office suit refer to communications between components of the communications between components of the MS Office suit ? Does this make the MS Office MS Office suit ? Does this make the MS Office suit a communication system ?suit a communication system ?
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Q&A – 3Q&A – 3
7. Is it true that Internet web-sites refer 7. Is it true that Internet web-sites refer most frequently to other Internet web-most frequently to other Internet web-sites ? Does this make the Internet a sites ? Does this make the Internet a subsystem of the society ?subsystem of the society ?
8. Is it true that mobile phone systems 8. Is it true that mobile phone systems constitute a subsystem of the society ?constitute a subsystem of the society ?
9. Is it true that technological systems are 9. Is it true that technological systems are extensions of the society helping the extensions of the society helping the expansion of it ?expansion of it ?
