Six Sources of Collapse

UK Auflage
ISBN: 978-0-88385-579-9
Verlag: Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

Buch, Englisch, 220 Seiten, Format (B × H): 182 mm x 261 mm, Gewicht: 549 g

Reihe: Spectrum

Beginning with one of the most remarkable ecological collapses of recent times, that of the passenger pigeon, this book surveys collapse processes across the entire spectrum of the natural and man-made world. The reader is taken through extreme weather events, crashing financial markets and companies, the chaotic nature of Earth's orbit, revolutionary political change, the spread of disease and many other fascinating cases. The author's key observation is the consistent occurrence of one or more of six fundamental dynamics ('six sources of collapse'), all of which can be best described and investigated using fundamental mathematical concepts which include low probability events, group dynamics, evolutionary games, instability, nonlinearity and network effects. The exposition assumes a minimal mathematical background, but even professional mathematicians are likely to get rich insights from the range of examples. This book will also be of interest to readers in business and finance, engineering, ecology and political science.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hadlock, Charles R

Fachgebiete

• Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Numerik und Wissenschaftliches Rechnen Angewandte Mathematik, Mathematische Modelle

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction
2. Predicting unpredictable events
3. Group behavior: crowds, herds, and video games
4. Evolution and collapse: game playing in a changing world
5. Instability, oscillation, and feedback
6. Nonlinearity: invitation to chaos and catastrophe
7. It's all about networks
8. Putting it all together: looking at collapse phenomena in '6-D'
9. Endnotes.

Über Autor(innen)

Hadlock, Charles R
Charles Hadlock has worked as a risk consultant in the chemical, power, transportation and mining industries. As the dean of a business school, he witnessed collapses of corporations, currencies and markets. Combined with his scientific background, interdisciplinary collaborative work and extensive management experience at the top levels of corporations and governments, he has a uniquely broad perspective on collapse processes. He has previously authored an award-winning monograph on field theory and an acclaimed text on mathematical modelling in environmental management.