| [ introduction to chaos ] |
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| chaos is turbulence, undesired randomness, it is sensitive to change, can change rapidly and is dependent on other conditions. chaos appears in small systems such as organisms and in larger systems such as galaxies. chaos occurs when a system is sensitve to other conditions. weather is an example of a chaotic system. one tiny fluctuation can create havoc somehere else. living organisms are examples of chaotic systems. a cell gets sick, divides and multiplies its sickness into millions of other cells. the result is disease. the action of one cell caused sickness in other cells bringing on a diseased body. chaotic systems are unstable. chaos is seen just about everywhere. chaos can be said to have grown out of the philosphy of determinism. determinism is the belief that every action is the result of proceeding actions. all events, including moral choice are determined by pre-existing circumstance. determinsim was introduced into science around 1500 A.D. with sir isaac newton. newton's laws are completely deterministic because they imply that anything that happens at any time in the future is completely determined by what happens now. everything now was completely determined by what happened in the past. newton, determinism and chaos |