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Complexity and Security

Kervalishvili, P. J.
ISBN-10: 1586038494
ISBN-13: 9781586038496

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2 new from $154.36

Description

Table of Contents

Author Bios

The fundamental concept developed in this book is that in order to achieve security in a complex world, it is essential to ensure that we have sufficient variety available to cope with complexity and its potential dangers. The book develops many facets of this idea, covering all major contemporary world issues, including energy, food and environmental security, climate change, economic transitions, and the role of technology.

Encompassing a uniquely diverse collection of viewpoints, this book achieves a highly original contribution to the debate about where our civilization is heading. Airy speculation is however eschewed: arguments are developed on the basis of solid evidence available to all. This book by no means attempts to have the last word: it invites response and debate. Above all, it contributes to deepening understanding of what it means to be human in the face of our ever-growing knowledge about the universe and its nature. And, the ideas developed lead to some surprisingly definite conclusions about the policies to be promulgated in the future.

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General survey	p. 1
The Notion of Security	p. 7
Defining security	p. 9
The sociophysics of terrorism: a passive supporter percolation effect	p. 13
The 'What', 'Who' and 'How' of contemporary security	p. 39
What is Complexity?	p. 53
An introduction to complexity	p. 55
Complexity, stability and crises	p. 71
The representation of complexity	p. 93
Soil as a paradigm of a complex system	p. 103
Complexity in materials science and semiconductor physics	p. 123
Climate and Energy	p. 145
Introduction to global warming	p. 147
Climate change and the complexity of the energy global security supply solutions: the global energy (r)evolution	p. 185
Complexity in environmental and meteorological research	p. 219
Global warming: a social phenomenon	p. 237
The Technology of Security	p. 247
Complex technology: a promoter of security and insecurity	p. 249
The problems of protecting people in underground structures from terrorist explosions	p. 265
Degradation of anthropogenic contaminants by higher plants	p. 277
Modern trends in integrated information systems development	p. 299
The synthesis of information protection systems with optimal properties	p. 307
Complexity and security of coupled critical infrastructures	p. 317
The formation of a global information society, digital divide and trends in the Georgian telecommunications market	p. 329
Psychological, Social, Political, Economic and Ethical Aspects of Security	p. 349
Psychological, social, economic and political aspects of security	p. 351
Why governments and companies invest in science and technology	p. 369
Social entropy, synergy and security	p. 379
An abstract model of political relationships: modelling interstate relations	p. 389
The complexity of the economic transition in Eastern Europe	p. 393
Children and security: "A child has the right to be defended from birth"	p. 405
Subject Index	p. 411
Author Index	p. 417
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

List price:	$161.00
Edition:	2008
Publisher:	I O S Press, Incorporated
Binding:	Trade Cloth
Pages:	430
Size:	6.75" wide x 9.50" long x 1.25" tall
Weight:	2.09 lbs.
Language:	English

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