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Complex, not complicated

Navigating the current economic and political challenges demands a shift in our analytical lens to one that refrains from simplifying problems

Is economics enamoured by taboos?
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Rathin Roy
“Simple” is the opposite of both “complex” and “complicated”. But, as political economist Yuen Yuen Ang has eloquently shown, the two words mean very different things.

She illustrates this with an example. A toaster is complicated. It has many different parts, all of which must work for it to deliver toast. A tree is complex. It has many different parts and processes, which enable it to exist and reproduce. When these are impaired, then all or some of its parts respond to try and keep the tree functional and reproductive. This involves adaptation and evolution. If the response is malignant, the
Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper

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