  This article introduces into the whole section on Social Sciences, edited by
A. Nowak for this Encyclopedia, concentrating on the applications of
mathematics and physics. Here under "mathematics" we include also all computer
simulations if they are not taken from physics, while physics applications
include simulations of models which basically existed already in physics before
they were applied to social simulations. Thus obviously there is no sharp
border between applications from physics and from mathematics in the sense of
our definition. Also social science is not defined precisely. We will include
some economics as well as some linguistics, but not social insects or fish
swarms, nor human epidemics or demography. Also, we mention not only this
section by also the section on agent-based modelling edited by F. Castiglione
as containing articles of social interest.
