Paul Cilliers presents a post-structural approach to complexity, challenging traditional rule-based models of artificial intelligence and formal logic. By integrating the philosophy of Jacques Derrida with connectionist neural networks, he argues that meaning in complex systems arises from distributed relationships rather than fixed symbols. These systems are characterized by non-linear interactions, historical contingency, and a robust yet dynamic internal structure that resists simple reduction. Cilliers emphasizes that because we cannot achieve total knowledge of such systems, our models must remain provisional and modest. This perspective extends into ethics and social theory, where he advocates for a “provisional imperative” that balances the necessity of enabling constraints with an openness to diversity and justice. Ultimately, he suggests that navigating a complex world requires reflective slowness and a willingness to engage with the inherent uncertainty and responsibility of our choices.
Sources
• Boundaries, hierarchies and networks in complex systems (International Journal of Innovation Management 5(2): 135–47) • Why we cannot know complex things completely (Emergence, 2002, 4(1/2): 77–84) • Difference, Identity and Complexity (DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-9187-1_1) • Complexity and Postmodernism: Understanding Complex Systems (ISBN 0-415-15286-0) • Critical Complexity: Collected Essays (ISBN 978-1-5015-1079-3)