Complexity theory

Complexity theory can refer to more than one thing:

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• Computational complexity theory: a field in theoretical computer science and mathematics dealing with the resources required during computation to solve a given problem
• The theoretical treatment of descriptive complexity (or Kolmogorov complexity) of a string is studied in algorithmic information theory by identifying the length of the shortest binary program which can output that string.
• Systems theory (or systemics or general systems theory): an interdisciplinary field including engineering, biology and philosophy that incorporates science to study large systems
• Complexity theory is sometimes used as a broad term addressing the study of complex systems, including subjects such as chaos theory, artificial life, and genetic algorithms.