Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Should God be replaced? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cosmicforce who wrote (7875)	9/7/2001 3:39:48 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 28931

How do you know there isn't an invisible almost "godlike" determinism acting in the universe, running through everything- across dimensions (I don't mean with any kind of intelligence as we would understand it, nor anything that is "interested" in us- these words are simply meaningless in the context of what I am imagining). Of course I cannot possibly say I "believe" in that- but it appeals to me. Viscerally. I feel that things are the way they are and that they could not be otherwise. Not that I trust that, of course. Which is why I am banging me head against the words HERE trying to understand WTF you are saying. And not having much luck. Sigh.

To: cosmicforce who wrote (7875)	9/8/2001 1:56:04 AM
From: cosmicforce	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 28931

I pulled out one of my books, Applied Chaos Theory: A Paradigm for Complexity. The author, Cambel gives a list of the characteristics of complex systems. On page 14, he clearly says, "..., please note that all complex systems are not chaotic." Further this amplified that "while not all non-linear systems are chaotic, all chaotic systems are non-linear." And, again quoting, "Systems that upon analysis are found to be nonlinear, nonequilibrium, deterministic, dynamic, and incorporate randomness so they are sensitive to initial conditions, and have strange attractors are said to be chaotic." [Emphasis added] I reviewed most of the text quickly, and this theme is preserved, so I'd stand by my proposition that randomness AND complexity are essential components of chaos. Goodnight.