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One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the Earth abideth for ever. The Sun also ariseth, and the Sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. (Ecclesiastes 1:4–5)
Using observations to infer the values of some parameters corresponds to solving an 'inverse problem'. Practitioners usually seek the 'best solution' implied by the data, but observations should only be used to falsify possible solutions, not to deduce any particular solution.
In the global economy of the twenty-first century, prosperity is created in fundamentally new ways. The science of complex, networked systems provides invaluable insights into technological, organizational and economic arrangements that will ensure global prosperity.