PDF Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books

PDF Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books



Download As PDF : Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books

Download PDF Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books

How do we explain the remarkably abrupt changes that sometimes occur in nature and society--and can we predict why and when they happen? This book offers a comprehensive introduction to critical transitions in complex systems--the radical changes that happen at tipping points when thresholds are passed.

Marten Scheffer accessibly describes the dynamical systems theory behind critical transitions, covering catastrophe theory, bifurcations, chaos, and more. He gives examples of critical transitions in lakes, oceans, terrestrial ecosystems, climate, evolution, and human societies. And he demonstrates how to deal with these transitions, offering practical guidance on how to predict tipping points, how to prevent "bad" transitions, and how to promote critical transitions that work for us and not against us. Scheffer shows the time is ripe for understanding and managing critical transitions in the vast and complex systems in which we live. This book can also serve as a textbook and includes a detailed appendix with equations.

  • Provides an accessible introduction to dynamical systems theory
  • Covers critical transitions in lakes, oceans, terrestrial ecosystems, the climate, evolution, and human societies
  • Explains how to predict tipping points
  • Offers strategies for preventing "bad" transitions and triggering "good" ones
  • Features an appendix with equations


PDF Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books


"Few books are so good like this.

First, one should know that this book is based on the approach of complex systems that try to find similar patterns in (apparent) different contexts.

Second, this book presents a very simple introduction to dynamical systems.

Third, the main idea of this book is that the same kinds of phenomena take place in the major transitions in society and nature.

Forth, this book is a kind of journalistic introduction to the field recent reviewed by the author (and co-authors) in a paper of Nature "Early-warning signals for critical transitions, vol. 461, 08227, 2009".

Fifth, if you like this book and are also interested in financial markets, I believe that you also like the book due to Didier Sornette - Why Stock Markets Crash: Critical Events in Complex Financial Systems."

Product details

  • Series Princeton Studies in Complexity (Book 16)
  • Paperback 400 pages
  • Publisher Princeton University Press; 2009 edition (July 26, 2009)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10 0691122040

Read Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books

Tags : Critical Transitions in Nature and Society (Princeton Studies in Complexity) (9780691122045) Marten Scheffer Books,Marten Scheffer,Critical Transitions in Nature and Society (Princeton Studies in Complexity),Princeton University Press,0691122040,SCI008000,Life Sciences - Biology,Biogeography,Ecological disturbances,Ecological disturbances.,Global environmental change,Nature - Effect of human beings on,Social evolution,Social evolution.,System theory,Threshold logic,Threshold logic.,Applied ecology,Biology, life sciences,Ecological science, the Biosphere,Evolution,Life Sciences - Ecology,Mathematics science,Non-Fiction,SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Biology,SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Ecology,Scholarly/Graduate,Science,Science/Math,Science/Mathematics,Science/System Theory,UNIVERSITY PRESS,United States

Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books Reviews :


Critical Transitions in Nature and Society Princeton Studies in Complexity Marten Scheffer Books Reviews


  • Few books are so good like this.

    First, one should know that this book is based on the approach of complex systems that try to find similar patterns in (apparent) different contexts.

    Second, this book presents a very simple introduction to dynamical systems.

    Third, the main idea of this book is that the same kinds of phenomena take place in the major transitions in society and nature.

    Forth, this book is a kind of journalistic introduction to the field recent reviewed by the author (and co-authors) in a paper of Nature "Early-warning signals for critical transitions, vol. 461, 08227, 2009".

    Fifth, if you like this book and are also interested in financial markets, I believe that you also like the book due to Didier Sornette - Why Stock Markets Crash Critical Events in Complex Financial Systems.
  • Scheffer is the foremost thinker on this subject, and he's collected most of his ideas in this accessible and informative book. I highly recommend this
  • Focusing mostly on the ecological side, it desribes in a very helpful manner the way that systems interact with the abrupt changes in their environment and the related dynamics that describe them.
  • I love this book and it's good for reading. It provides many details about critical transition in Nature and Society. The quality is good and helpful for my study.
  • This book is absolutely the best introduction to dynamic systems thinking I have read. Keeping all the equations in the appendix and using graphs to illustrate concepts opens it to a much wider audience than is usual in this area. Strongly recommended.
  • This is a good introduction to complexity and dynamical systems as applied to natural systems. Although it is relatively old (already 16 years), it contains sufficiently interesting material and insights to make it still relevant and a useful first read on the subject. It is also written in a very accessible way and can be read just for fun. As an earth scientist I had one or two points of disagreement on the sections on glaciations and climate change, on which I think the author is not an expert, but this does not diminish the overall merit of this book. A very recommendable read.

Comments