CompuServe Messages

Dave, <<Until Chaos theory, non-linear systems were just considered unsolvable and unknowable and random>> I've been reading along and just picked this point to jump in. This thread is full of discussion of predictability, and while prediction of real world events is a good measure of a model, one should never confuse a model with the real world. One of the things that is great about Chaos theory, is showing how the application of simple rules can generate mind numbing complexity. Looking at the complexity of our "real" world and trying to deduce root causes or actual rules is IMHO ultimately futile. Besides, creating your own rule systems to generate new universes is more fun and intellectually honest. I'd rather be surprised by the the unpredictability of my own creations than to be able to absolutely predict this one I'm living in. -Paul "I've been enjoying the thread" Lempke Paul