从人工生命到人工社会——复杂社会系统研究的现状和展望

From Artificial Life to Artificial Societies——New Methods for Studies of Complex Social Systems

介绍了人工社会研究工作的内容、方法及其思想基础 ,并对其应用和未来趋势进行展望。文中简述了社会学研究的历史阶段、主要问题和困难 ,人工生命和人工社会方法的有效性 ,并着重描述了Epstein和Axtell的工作 ,以及相应的涌现方法在复杂社会系统研究中的中心作用。本文还讨论了目前对人工社会方法的各种批判意见及其回应。

This paper introduces and summaries the basic issues, concepts, and methods of research in artificial societies and its applications in social sciences. A brief description of historical development, key issues, and major difficulties in studies of social science and effectiveness of applying methods in artificial life and artificial societies is presented. Work by Epstein and Axtell on growing artificial societies for investigating complex social systems by the emergence of behaviors and patterns through individual interaction are discussed in details. Finally, the critique, trend and significance of those new approaches for studies of complex systems are addressed.