Is complexity ultimately a dimensional curse, or the most probable path to Comprehension?

Question

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Here's a lil' gift for your incomprable efforts. :-)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYL5fTetrjM
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To Psychic Cat and Question This: Wonderful answers (some of the best I've ever received on this site) - you both deserve the BA, in my book. But since, in a way, you are both saying the same thing, let's use this opportunity to welcome our friend Psychic Cat to our circle of active friends.

Thanks Every1
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Answer 1

Oh, complexity is never a curse. This is rather like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. When we have the "pieces" we can put together the picture. We can comprehend.
Never mind those horrible things that are 1/3rd blue sky! They take longer, but the essential thing is that we don't "force" comprehension if a few pieces are missing.

On a personal note, (I love your links), there was a fleeting image of someone walking, clothed in dark to the feet. It reminded me of a painting of my sister's, from her imagination. A little figure walking along beside a wall. Seemed so symbolic as I remembered.

I don't believe any kind of comprehension is a "simple" path.

Answer 2

How to unravel the complex issue of Complexity? I thought of 11 different ways to interpret this question, wondered if curses and comprehension are mutually exclusive, and then stared at your avatar in a failed endeavor to determine intent. I’ll spare you the full extent of my ruminations (or I really *will* write two novels this month). Besides, they all had the same conclusion: if complexity isn’t the path, we are hopelessly, hopelessly lost.

And yes, I recognize that I’ve immediately reduced "complexity" in order to produce an answer, but I enjoy irony, so I’ll leave this recklessness uncorrected. After all, Time (or as I call her, “His ness’s Fourth Mistress) is the *real* curse. In truth, sixty (or seventy) more years may not be enough to comprehend Complexity. Even a non-predictive simplification can be more satisfying than the concession that there is no answer in sight. But that’s psychology again; a false conclusion can’t really be described as “comprehension”.

To shamelessly steal a metaphor from our clairvoyant feline-friend, people who can’t see beyond their one little patch of blue-puzzle sky are the cause of the sensational bi-weekly announcements that men are dying off, or humanity is splitting into two species, or the bride of Bigfoot is roaming through Texas. Overall, the idea of passing physics to a dog breeder for a fresh viewpoint may result in headache more often than understanding, but if some Truth *is* hidden in Perspective, we should probably snatch as many outlooks as we can get our paws on.

After all, the Universe is a complex place. Being Human is a complicated gig. How could we expect the path to Comprehension to be anything less?

In the end, though, I’m not sure I *desire* total comprehension. Nothing compares to Mystery… :-)

Answer 3

I think that simple things can ultimately be the most complex, thereby making the path to comprhension a matter of breaking the complex down into simple little pieces, and putting them together so as to see the bigger picture. It takes a lot more effort if you tend to see things as complex to begin with but it can ultimately be done. The bigger the picture, complex or not, the easier it is to comprehend.

Answer 4

It is possible to drive through complexity to overall understanding. Tientai did that and came up with ichinen sanzen. That system allows anyone who wants to make the effort to have a united view of everything.

Answer 5

Complexity in general usage is the opposite of simplicity. Complexity in specific usage is the opposite of independence, while complication is the opposite of simplicity.

Complexity has always been a part of our environment, and therefore many scientific fields have dealt with complex systems and phenomena. Indeed, some would say that only what is somehow complex – what displays variation without being random – is worthy of interest.

The use of the term complex is often confused with the term complicated. In today’s systems, this is the difference between a myriad of connecting “stovepipes” and effective “integrated” solutions. [1] This means that complex is the opposite of independent, while complicated is the opposite of simple.

While this has led some fields to come up with specific definitions of complexity, there is a more recent movement to regroup observations from different fields to study complexity in itself, whether it appears in anthills, human brains, or stock markets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complexity

Answer 6

Aaaah! This is much better. Feel so peaceful now, to lose myself amidst these wonderfully big and complex words that can do me no harm, since they don't penetrate deep...powerless, impotent words...

But, you really made me cry with this video!!! Some pains only a mother can feel and I literally got goosebumps listening to this cry from a broken heart...No mother should lose her child, NEVER, Never, never....ever.

Answer 7

Complexity is a perceptual curse which does confine us dimensionally. Only simplicity - pondering cause and effect - provides a path out of the conditioned ego's insane labyrinth.

Answer 8

Complexity is 'point of view'. Comprehension is 'point of reference'

You can only 'see' complexity from the vantage that allows it. i.e. a grain of sand versus a beach.

You can only comprehend something by referring to another point of knowledge. i.e. that thing looks like this thing.

Even without learning the human organism can count which is the origin of measuring complex systems. Counting is not knowing which is comprehension. Knowing comes from separating subject from object and naming said object with a learned name.

Complexity and comprehension have nothing directly to do with each other.

Answer 9

In hindsight, what can be more all encompassing than complexity... not being able to see the trees for the forest! :-)

Answer 10

I just adore this song... One of my favorites of all time.