Closed and open systems

In systems theory, closed systems are completely isolated from the environment, while open systems interact.

In closed systems what can happen is finite, the inputs and outputs are constrained, no matter how large the limits are. An open system’s inputs and outputs are unbounded, and require the application of first principles logic to novel contexts.

Almost all of AI (Data Science) today is pattern recognition. While much of what we think of as intelligence is reasoning from first principles.

Our field isn’t quite “artificial intelligence” – it’s “cognitive automation”: the encoding and operationalization of human-generated abstractions / behaviors / skills. The “intelligence” label is a category error – @fchollet, François Chollet, January 7th 2020

It seems that, closed systems could be related to complicatedness (Decision contexts can be complicated or complex), and open systems to Complexity.

See also:

• In complex contexts, simulate
• In complex contexts, use AI as sensors.

References:

• https://tvladeck.substack.com/p/open-vs-closed-systems