Ronde 1: Workshop Nathan Wildman // Order masquerading as randomness: chaos in science (EN)

The core idea behind the scientific notion of chaos is that tiny changes in how a system is initially set-up leads to huge differences in latter behaviour; the most famous example is the 'butterfly effect', where the flapping of a butterfly's wings in Midden-Zeeland can cause a hurricane in Florida.

This notion of chaos plays a major role in a number of scientific disciplines, including astronomy, meteorology, economics, and psychology. But how exactly is chaos understood here? And is a chaotic system genuinely chaotic?

The aim of this talk is to address these questions. Central to our discussion will be a contrast between the scientific conception of chaos - seemingly random and unpredictable behavior that nevertheless follows precise rules - and "genuine chaos" - behaviour completely ungoverend by any law-like rules. By thinking about chaos in science, we will not only be better placed to appreciate the complexity of the world, but also how we can best come to terms with this complexity.