The response of U.S. policymakers to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is based upon an overestimate of the threat of terrorism, and ignores the lessons that can be gained from an interdisciplinary approach to the problem, according to some think tank experts who are analyzing the issue.
Agent-based modeling is an emerging computer technology that holds promise as a powerful tool for analyzing policy problems -- and experts in the field believe it has the potential to fundamentally change the way social scientists and economists test theories, examine data, and create new policies.