Johnson Reading Assignment

A key term that is explored throughout “The Myth of the Ant Queen” is “complexity.” When I first approached this word, my mind immediately associated a tangled web yielding many dimensions. My idea of the word complex was an adjective that describes something comprised of many components put together deliberately and delicately. However, Johnson offers a two-fold definition that is similar to mine but sheds more light on an unexpected angle. The first part he describes is “sensory overload,” which essentially refers to the initial overstimulation that is elicited when approaching a “complex” structure. Similar to my original understanding, anything described as complex will require much observation and exploration to fully comprehend. It is built from many separate entities which can each be broken down further. This is similar to concepts we study here at school; Biology is complex in that the general study can be specialized into other smaller, extremely specific subjects such as molecular biology. The complex system of education described in Davidson’s work can be better understood by deciphering the interconnecting levels within itself – similar to starting with the “bottom-up” method.  

            The second section of the definition Johnson provides for complexity describes the underlying order within an apparent mess. Despite how unorganized a structure may appear, the difference between something complex and a true messy conglomerate is a “strange kind of order” (Johnson 199). The components are apparently strewn together yet function seamlessly. This is similar to the streets of a city such as New York: at first glance, it is an overwhelming stream of people. However, upon closer examination, each person walks with a purpose and follows tacit rules of the streets to create a weaving motion of functionality. The definition of complexity itself is complex.