Synthesis: Statistical Laws in Context

In the previous chapters we described how statistical laws have been used in complex-systems research: Chap. 1 provided a brief historical overview and a working definition of statistical laws; Chap. 2 listed examples from different disciplines, focusing on the similar role played by statistical laws in connecting data and models; and Chap. 3 introduced increasingly sophisticated quantitative methods that have been employed to test, fit, and explore statistical laws. In this last chapter, we will move away from the description of how statistical laws have been used and, instead, focus on the role they can and should play in the study of complex systems. We will propose different ways in which methods and interpretations can be coherently employed, highlight possible pitfalls, suggest good practices, and speculate about the future of statistical laws in data-driven research.