Complex Systems and the Social and Environmental Implications of Light Pollution

From the division of empirical and epistemological knowledge, emerges a radical pursuit, which has dominated scientific and philosophical thought; to find a theory of everything. To model a quantifiable universe, in which science is united by a single equation. While not accepted by many scholars, who challenge a deterministic approach to science, unified theories on a smaller scale, comprise a viable field of science known as complexity. Complexity describes the behavior of systems, and has revealed intrinsic connections between previously unrelated fields of scholarship. It is complexity that unites the networks of neurons in our brains and the socioeconomic systems of metropolitan cities. Thus in a time of immense specialization within science, it is integral to consider the holistic implications and interconnectedness of knowledge itself, a philosophy which complexity promotes. Furthermore, complexity research is a key in addressing the Earth’s problems at a macro and micro scale in understanding the interactions and behavior of systems on the planet. Thus, I propose an implementation of complex systems research for one of the greatest problems on Earth; climate change and specifically light pollution. In creating models of cities, which with a population of 1 million produce 1500 Megawatts of energy per day, and analyzing the behavioral systems of animal populations, who illustrate the impacts of light pollution, my project aims to identify the behaviors and patterns within these complex adaptive systems (CAS) to inform an improved approach to light pollution and identify patterns that affect it at a social and ecological level. Ultimately, I hope to emphasize the potential of complex systems research and the intersection of ostensibly unrelated fields to answer our world’s problems. In a world dominated by rapidly evolving technology and society, we must think even faster to consider its implications, to find a theory for a better future.