1. The Third Way of Agent-Based Social Simulation and a Computational Account of Emergence.
- Author
-
Wilson, Roy
- Subjects
SIMULATION methods & models ,KOLMOGOROV complexity ,EMPIRICAL research ,THEORY of knowledge ,CAUSATION (Philosophy) - Abstract
This paper interprets a particular agent-based social simulation (ABSS) in terms of Conte's third way of understanding agent-based simulation. It is proposed that the normalized compression distance (derived from estimates of Kolmogorov complexity) between the initial and final macrolevel states of the ABSS provides a quantitative measure of the degree to which the results obtained via the ABSS might be obtained via a closed-form expression. If the final macrolevel state of an ABSS can only be obtained by simulation, this confers on agent-based social simulations a special status. Future empirical (computational) work and epistemological analyses are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
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