Systèmes complexes, humanités numériques et arts (dir.Marc Chemillier Jean-Pierre Nadal, CAMS, EHESS)

This proposal addresses the question of the creation in the perspective of systems theory. Artistic networks and individual artworks are perfect examples of complex systems, i.e. systems composed of a typically large number of (possibly heterogeneous) elements that as a whole exhibit some properties which specifically result from the interactions between the constitutive elements. As such, these global properties or behaviors may not be anticipated from the properties of the individual parts – one talks of « collective phenomena » or of « emerging properties ». The object of this research project is to construct models, with analytical and numerical means, which render it possible to understand the global (‘macroscopic’) level from the characteristics of the constitutive elements (the ‘microscopic’ level). Making use of tools from applied mathematics, statistical physics and computer science (some relevant keywords: partial differential equations, information theory, dynamical systems, statistical physics of disordered systems, graph theory, game theory, numerical simulations, agent-based systems) this research is based on a collaboration with social and cognitive scientists and will address primarily questions in the domain of digital humanities (diffusion of knowledge, online communities, social networks) and the domain of ethnomusicology (based on a collaboration with IRCAM).