From Evolving Networks to Cognitive Systems Theory This textbook covers a
wide range of concepts, notions and phenomena of a truly interdisciplinary subject of rapidly growing importance. Complex system theory deals with dynamical
systems containing a very large number of variables, showing a plethora of emergent features, arising in a broad range of contexts. A central focus of these notes is
the notion of complexity arising within evolving and dynamical network structures,
such as the gene expression networks at the basis of all living, adaptive ecological
networks or neural networks for cognitive information processing.
Complex systems theory ultimately forms the basis of our long-standing quest
for exploring and understanding cognitive systems in general and our brain in particular – the mammalian brain is probably the most complex of all adaptive networks
known to humanity.
Readership and Preconditions This primer is intended for graduate students or
scientists from natural sciences, engineering or neuroscience. Technically, the reader
should have a basic knowledge of ordinary and partial differential equations and of
probability distributions. This textbook is suitable both for studies in conjunction
with teaching courses as well as for the individual reader.