If I'm able to get this post published within the next hour - someone needs to get me a hot chocolate.
Let's get to it then -
Chaos. The first time I came across the term and associated it with disorder and turmoil was through television. [No surprises there] The show was the 'Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy'
That's the show that introduced me to the animated version of the Grim Reaper - this character:
Anywho, this post isn't about him, rather one of his acquaintances, Eris - the goddess of chaos [Rather, the comic representation of the Greek goddess of discord]
Eris' role in the series is to create chaos [No surprise there] wherever she goes - it's usually up to the titular characters to clean up after her and thwart any attempts she makes, albeit with hilarious consequences.
I really like how the Greek personify such concepts as disorder, war, love and wisdom [Eris, Ares, Eros and Athena respectively] - well, personify in the terms of deities...
Chaos resides all around us, everyday we come across disorder in its various forms.
The next introduction I had to chaos was through math & science - something known as the 'Chaos Theory'.
The Chaos Theory is centered around dynamical systems where final outcomes are highly dependent on sensitive initial conditions. Given the example of a double pendulum, slight changes in the initial position of the pendulum results in two very different outcomes.
There's a chance you've heard of this theory through another term, the Butterfly Effect.
No, not the movie. The Butterfly Effect uses the analogy of a butterfly's flight to highlight the core concept of the theory:
The flapping of a butterfly's wings could lead to the formation of a hurricane in another area weeks later.
Though hard to believe - it shows how sensitive the dependence on initial conditions are for a non-linear system - and how small, seemingly insignificant changes in initial conditions lead to large differences in a later state.
Though that's where my understanding of the matter stops - I'll have to have a math student explain the rest to me. I came across the Chaos Theory again this year on an episode of Numb3rs [HUZZAH!] and the VSauce video 'If'.
Here's the link to the VSauce video - to people who haven't come across Michael, get acquainted with the channel! A world of awesome awaits!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBK3QpQVnaw
Now I come to a more human & psychological take on chaos.
As humans, we envision a utopian paradise - one where everyone is content, there is no evil and order prevails. Yet it seems that this 'utopia' gets pushed further away - into the distance - when one starts considering the way things are now. Has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps the only reason that this utopian state seems so unattainable is that humans require chaos to function?
Let's get to it then -
Chaos. The first time I came across the term and associated it with disorder and turmoil was through television. [No surprises there] The show was the 'Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy'
 | |
| That's the one |
 | |
| Was there ever a time he wasn't freaking out about something or laughing maniacally? |
Anywho, this post isn't about him, rather one of his acquaintances, Eris - the goddess of chaos [Rather, the comic representation of the Greek goddess of discord]
 | |
| Greek goddess...or self-righteous diva? |
I really like how the Greek personify such concepts as disorder, war, love and wisdom [Eris, Ares, Eros and Athena respectively] - well, personify in the terms of deities...
Chaos resides all around us, everyday we come across disorder in its various forms.
The next introduction I had to chaos was through math & science - something known as the 'Chaos Theory'.
 |
| You're not looking close enough. |
There's a chance you've heard of this theory through another term, the Butterfly Effect.
No, not the movie. The Butterfly Effect uses the analogy of a butterfly's flight to highlight the core concept of the theory:
The flapping of a butterfly's wings could lead to the formation of a hurricane in another area weeks later.
Though hard to believe - it shows how sensitive the dependence on initial conditions are for a non-linear system - and how small, seemingly insignificant changes in initial conditions lead to large differences in a later state.
Though that's where my understanding of the matter stops - I'll have to have a math student explain the rest to me. I came across the Chaos Theory again this year on an episode of Numb3rs [HUZZAH!] and the VSauce video 'If'.
Here's the link to the VSauce video - to people who haven't come across Michael, get acquainted with the channel! A world of awesome awaits!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBK3QpQVnaw
Now I come to a more human & psychological take on chaos.
As humans, we envision a utopian paradise - one where everyone is content, there is no evil and order prevails. Yet it seems that this 'utopia' gets pushed further away - into the distance - when one starts considering the way things are now. Has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps the only reason that this utopian state seems so unattainable is that humans require chaos to function?
 |
| Want a little chaos? Get yourself a human! |
Just as the concept of 'good' cannot exist without the concept of 'evil' [Consider it: if you have no idea what 'evil' is how could you comprehend what 'good' is?], order can't exist without chaos.
Oddly enough, chaos presents humans with a chance to display their ingenuity in all its brilliant glory. There is such a thing as too much order. Even a scientist would tell you that a continued state of equilibrium isn't favoured in many circumstances. [I remember that from my Chem classes]
Then again, it really depends on what sort of chaos one might be referring to - chaos and turmoil like in the case of wars and such aren't favourable in any light. They remain negative, but if the odds are in one's favour - they lead to stability - to order.
Confusion is never a good form of chaos. Personally speaking, I've never come across a situation where confusion has had a positive outcome.
It remains, though, that chaos is - weirdly enough - central to human existence. It's what keeps us on our toes and what keeps our mental cogs spinning.
Out of the chaos comes order
And order soon falls to chaos.
One cannot exist without the other.
I shall have that hot chocolate now. With tiny marshmallows. Hold the whipped cream.
Oddly enough, chaos presents humans with a chance to display their ingenuity in all its brilliant glory. There is such a thing as too much order. Even a scientist would tell you that a continued state of equilibrium isn't favoured in many circumstances. [I remember that from my Chem classes]
Then again, it really depends on what sort of chaos one might be referring to - chaos and turmoil like in the case of wars and such aren't favourable in any light. They remain negative, but if the odds are in one's favour - they lead to stability - to order.
Confusion is never a good form of chaos. Personally speaking, I've never come across a situation where confusion has had a positive outcome.
It remains, though, that chaos is - weirdly enough - central to human existence. It's what keeps us on our toes and what keeps our mental cogs spinning.
Out of the chaos comes order
And order soon falls to chaos.
One cannot exist without the other.
I shall have that hot chocolate now. With tiny marshmallows. Hold the whipped cream.
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