Comment on ``Simple Measure for Complexity''

James P. Crutchfield, David P. Feldman, and Cosma Rohilla Shalizi
Santa Fe Institute
1399 Hyde Park Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA

Abstract

We critique the measure of complexity introduced by Shiner, Davison, and Landsberg in Ref. [1]. In particular, we point out that it is over-universal, in the sense that it has the same dependence on disorder for structurally distinct systems. We then give counterexamples to the claim that complexity is synonymous with being out of equilibrium: equilibrium systems can be structurally complex and nonequilibrium systems can be structurally simple. We also correct a misinterpretation of a result given by two of the present authors in Ref. [2].

[1] J. S. Shiner, M. Davison, and P. T. Landsberg, ``Simple Measure for Complexity'', Phys. Rev. E 59 (1999) 1459-1464.

[2] J. P. Crutchfield and D. P. Feldman, ``Statistical Complexity of Simple One-Dimensional Spin Systems'', Phys. Rev. E 55:2 (1997) 1239R-1243R.

Citation

J. P. Crutchfield, D. P. Feldman, and C. R. Shalizi Comment on ``Simple Measure for Complexity'', Physical Review E (1999) in press. Santa Fe Insitute Working Paper 99-06-040. chao-dyn/9907001.

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