The Information Society as a Complex System

We are all very conscious of living through a revolution — one in which the industrial society is being superseded by the information society. Every day brings new evidence of the breakneck pace of the changes that are currently underway. But while broad awareness may be unavoidable, understanding is not so easy. Both the pace of the revolution and its multi-faceted nature make it difficult to gain a clear perspective. But here the new science of complexity can perhaps help. It provides a coherent theory that is directly applicable to the emerging society, potentially providing new insights and new understanding. This paper examines several facets of the current revolution from a complexity perspective, and suggests that the relationship between the emerging science and the emerging society will be a rich one.