Holland, known for his pioneering efforts in genetic algorithms and the new science of complexity, outlines some principles and demonstrates some procedures and approaches of his recent work in the emerging field of complex adaptive systems, which may someday help model and explain biological, social, environmental, and other systems that change. The text was presented as a lecture series at the Santa Fe Institute in early 1994, and is the first of a series of volumes from the annual lectures. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. John H. Holland is Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan.