Introduction to Complex Systems: What Systems Are and What Makes Them Complex

Systems are everywhere — engines, rainforests, markets — but only some of them are complex. This video introduces the building blocks of systems thinking: what a system is, what makes a system complex, and why complex adaptive systems behave in ways that constantly surprise us. In this video: • Elements, connections, and collective properties — the anatomy of any system • Boundaries and energy flows • Complicated vs. complex vs. complex adaptive systems, and why the difference matters This video is part of Complexity Fundamentals, a series from the Cascade Institute introducing the core concepts of complex systems and systems thinking. Learn more at https://cascadeinstitute.org #SystemsThinking #ComplexSystems #Complexity