Dynamical Criticality: Overview and Open Questions

• Published in: Journal of systems science and complexity Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 647 - 663
• Main Authors: Roli, Andrea, Villani, Marco, Filisetti, Alessandro, Serra, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences 01.06.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptive systems; Biological effects; Biological evolution; Complex Systems; Control; Data processing; Hypotheses; Mathematics; Mathematics and Statistics; Mathematics of Computing; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Regeneration; Robustness (mathematics); Statistics; Systems Theory; criticality; Attractors; phase transitions; dynamical regimes; edge of chaos
• ISSN: 1009-6124; 1559-7067
• DOI: 10.1007/s11424-017-6117-5

Systems that exhibit complex behaviours are often found in a particular dynamical condition, poised between order and disorder. This observation is at the core of the so-called criticality hypothesis, which states that systems in a dynamical regime between order and disorder attain the highest level of computational capabilities and achieve an optimal trade-off between robustness and flexibility. Recent results in cellular and evolutionary biology, neuroscience and computer science have revitalised the interest in the criticality hypothesis, emphasising its role as a viable candidate general law in adaptive complex systems. This paper provides an overview of the works on dynamical criticality that are — To the best of our knowledge — Particularly relevant for the criticality hypothesis. The authors review the main contributions concerning dynamics and information processing at the edge of chaos, and illustrate the main achievements in the study of critical dynamics in biological systems. Finally, the authors discuss open questions and propose an agenda for future work.