The Butterfly effect

wexhun

Can someone please explain the butterfly effect?

plonk

Basically everything you do in the present changes something in the future

Karoma

The Butterfly Effect is a phrase that encapsulates the more technical notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. The idea is that small variations in the initial conditions of a dynamical system produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect

Basq

And to keep it light, "The Butterfly Effect" is also the nail in the coffin of Ashton Kutcher's acting career.

radiospan

Like in that episode of the Simpsons where Homer goes back in time, kills one little bug, and everything is different when he goes back to the present.

plonk

basquille wrote:

And to keep it light, "The Butterfly Effect" is also the nail in the coffin of Ashton Kutcher's acting career.

I thought it was a great film

plonk

plonk wrote:

I thought it was a great film

seconded

Basq

Not turning this into a film debate so it ends here!

.. but i DID enjoy the film, though it lost it appeal on repeated viewing and it reminded me somewhat of an inferior "Donnie Darko" and the original ending (

where Evan chokes himself in the womb :rolleyes:

) was terrible... but i actually said nothing about the film - what i did say was it was "the nail in the coffin of Ashton Kutcher's acting career" .. which let's face it, the man is a very funny guy but cannot act!

plonk

Agreed about Ashton Kutcher's acting but a brilliant storyline. End of Film Discussion

snorlax

please keep this on topic. thank you

axer

The film "the Butterfly Effect" does not portray what the term refers to. In the film large changes are made by the main character which result in large variations whereas the term "butterfly effect" refers how small variations in the initial conditions produce much larger variations in the long term.

p.pete

snorlax wrote:

please keep this on topic. thank you

In a way, it is. A practicle demonstration; the OP asked about the butterfly effect and then a film discussion that potentially would not have happened otherwise ensued...

snorlax

yeah but it kinda trailed off there with some of the posts centred around a film debate rather then a discussion about the psychology behind it. your post is off topic too, although thank you for bringing your views on it to my attention !

heres something i found which may be relevant

"In 1960 a meteoroligist named Edward Lorenz was researching into the
possibilities of long term weather prediction. He created a basic
computer program using mathematical equations which could
theoretically predict what the weather might be. One day he wanted to
run a particular sequence again, and to save time he started it from
the middle of the sequence. After lettin gthe sequence run he returned
to find that the sequence had evolved completely different from the
original. At first he couldn't comprehend such different results but
then realised that he had started the sequence with his recorded
results to 3 decimal places, whereas the computer had recorded them to
6 d.p. As this program was theoretically deterministic we would expect
a sequence very close to the original, however this tiny difference in
initial conditions had given him completely different results.

This sensitivity to initial conditions became known as The Butterfly
Effect. This is because it compares to the idea that a butterfly
flapping its wings could produce a tiny change in the atmosphere, and
trigger a series of changes which could eventually lead to a hurricane
on the other side of the world. The Butterfly Effect is a key
characteristic to a choatic system."

Chaos In Our Lives
==================

Although Chaos Theory may appear to be an abstract concept within
modern science, it has many applications within our lives.

*One washing machine manufacturer has used chaotic motion to improve
the performance of their machines. A tiny pump vibrates with chaotic
cycles to stir the water more efficiently.
*The stock market is a good example as although it is somewhat random
it does follow trends ie. has a ordered structure.
*Weather forecasting is chaotic, as we know from Lorenz's discoveries.
*The human heart also has a chaotic pattern. The time between beats
doesn't remain constant but also depends on a persons activity and
stress. This analysis of the heartbeat can help medical researchers in
controlling irregular heartbeats.
*The solar system contains many chaotic patterns.
*The motion of gas in a vacuum is chaotic. Although the particles are
flying everywhere, they follow structure and pattern.
*Fractals are used to produce many of the modern computer art we see
in latest films.

Chaos Theory

"The 'Butterfly Effect': This is one of the catch phrases of chaos
theory. It refers to sensitive dependence on initial conditions. In
nonlinear systems, making small changes in the initial input values
will have dramatic effects on the final outcome of the system. A
butterfly flaps its wings and the weather changes in China. This is
one of the catch phrases of chaos theory, called the butterfly effect.
It refers to sensitive dependence on initial conditions. In nonlinear
systems, making small changes in the initial input values will have
dramatic effects on the final outcome of the system.

Theories abound as to real-life examples of this phenomenon:
1. The weather: small changes in weather effect larger patterns.
2. The stock market: slight fluctuations in one market can effect many others.
3. Biology: A small change in a virus in monkeys in Africa creates a
"thunderstorm" of an effect on the human population around the world
with the appearance of the AIDs virus.
4. Evolution: small changes in the chemistry of the early Earth gives rise to life.
5. Psychology: Thought patterns and consciousness altered by small
changes in brain chemistry or small changes in physical environmental
stimuli.

Dr. Octagon

Does anyone have any insight into the degree of change at the end of a system compared with a nominal change at the start? It would obviously depend on the number of dependent variables, the size of the system and the time allowed. Any useful links anyone.