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A review of "Modularity: Understanding the Development and Evolution of Natural Complex Systems" edited by Werner Callebaut & Diego Rasskin-Gutman, published by The MIT Press ISBN 9780262033268 (2005)
Volume: 11, Issue 1

Measuring complexity: Things that go wrong and how to get it right
Volume: 10, Issue 2
Seven problems that occur in attempts to measure complexity are pointed out as they occur in four proposed measurement techniques. Each example method is an improvement over the previous examples. It turns out, however, that none are up to the challenge of complexity. Apparently, there is no currently available method that truly gets the measure of complexity. There are two reasons. First, the most natural approach, quantitative analysis, is rendered inadequate by the very nature of complexity. Second, the intrinsic magnitude of complexity is still holding at bay attempts to use both quantitative and qualitative methods combined. Further progress in complexity science and in systems science is required. Any method that simplifies will fail because it ignores what complexity is. Techniques of understanding that do not simplify, but rather provide ways for the mind to grasp and work with complexity are more effective in getting its measure.