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<TITLE>Modelling and Simulation, Philosophy and History of Science Department</TITLE>
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Modelling and Simulation
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<LI><A HREF="#Objective">Objective</A>
<LI><A HREF="#Syllabus">Syllabus</A>
<LI><A HREF="#Material">Course material</A>
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<LI><A HREF="../CourseModSim/">Latest offering</A> <IMG SRC="../Images/flag_gr.gif">
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<A NAME="Objective">
<H2>Objectives</H2>
The objective of the course is to familiarise students with the subject, the terminology
and the principal methodologies of modelling and simulation. The course surveys the
fundamental modelling approaches that are based on continuous or discrete mathematical models,
as well as the newer graphical, network-based, computational and agent-based approaches that
adopt an algorithmic view. The course also surveys the simulation approaches of discrete or
continuous time and space, the discrete event approach and the stochastic approaches. All
examples are drawn from the economic and social systems field and a comparative study of the
various approaches is attempted, for example the comparative application of mathematical
populational and behavioural methods to the study of investor behaviour in a stock market or
to a demographical problem. The course also briefly presents some methodological and
theoretical concepts that refer to modelling and simulation, such as validation.

<H3>Instructor</H3>
<PRE>
	<B>Elpida Tzafestas</B>
	Associate Professor
	Cognitive Science Laboratory
	Department of History and Philosophy of Science (M.I.Th.E.)
	National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
	University Campus, Ano Ilisia 15771 Athens
	GREECE
	Tel. (+30) 210-727 5522,
	     (+30) 210-727 5506
	Fax. (+30) 210-727 5530

	<IMG ALIGN=MIDDLE SRC="../Images/mail.gif"> <A HREF="mailto:etzafestas@phs.uoa.gr"><EM>etzafestas@phs.uoa.gr</EM></A>
	<IMG ALIGN=MIDDLE SRC="../Images/www2.gif"> <A HREF="http://users.softlab.ntua.gr/~brensham"><EM>http://users.softlab.ntua.gr/~brensham</EM></A>
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<A NAME="Syllabus">
<H2>Syllabus</H2>
<UL>
<LI><B>Introduction</B><BR>
History, Topics, Terminology
<LI><B>Time and space</B><BR>
Discrete/continous time/discrete events, Discrete/continuous/hierarchical space, Networks
<LI><B>Elements of discrete mathematics</B><BR>
Permutations, Combinations, Probabilities, Sets, Graphs, Automata
<LI><B>Discrete dynamical systems</B><BR>
Types, Linear and affine systems, Fixed points, Growth models, Bifurcation, Chaos
<LI><B>Stochastic systems</B><BR>
Terminology, Mobility models, Open and closed worlds, Markov models, Diffusion models
<LI><B>Networks</B><BR>
Terminology, Types, Metrics, Dynamic behavior
<LI><B>Agent-based simulation</B><BR>
Objective, Terminology, Methodology, Applications
<LI><B>Game theory</B><BR>
Terminology, Formalism, Two player games, Dynamics and equilbria
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<A NAME="Material">
<H2>Course material</H2>
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<LI>Lecture slides
<LI>Readings (papers and chapters)
<LI>Exercises with solutions
<LI>Excerpts from "Stochastic Models for Social Processes" (by D. Bartholomew)
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<H2>Practical assignments (indicative)</H2>
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<LI>Cultural simulation
<LI>Discrete systems dynamics
<LI>Network models
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<EM>Page last updated 09 March 2012</EM><BR>
<A HREF="mailto:etzafestas@phs.uoa.gr">
<EM>Send me mail (etzafestas@phs.uoa.gr)</EM></A><BR><BR>

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