[MD] Mystics and Brains

[Case]

[Platt]
Thanks for the offer. Let me look around and see if I can find an
authoritative primer on chaos theory. In the meantime, would it be fair to
say the theory is based on a pattern of some sort? (Probably best to avoid
the word, "design." It gets Arlo jumping.)

[Case]
I think part of the problem is that Chaos Theory is not just one thing. It
is an umbrella for a number of recent discoveries in Math and Physics.
Mostly these were made possible by the computer because they involved
repeated calculations that would be impossible to do with pencil and paper.

They do involved the discovery of stable patterns. These show up in many
seemingly random occurrences, like dripping faucets, crumpled up wads of
paper, the stock market, populations etc. The math tells us how these
patterns work and what they look like. "Why" is always a more philosophical
question but there is some indication in the equations. For example it can
be shown that patterns that emerge chaotically are actually more stabile
than patterns from design. This is because designed patterns are more easily
disrupted by outside influence because they are so specific. Chaotic
stability on the other hand persists in the face of outside disturbances
from the beginning.

Gleick's book really is a good intro. I am reading his biography of Newton
at the moment and it is outstanding.