Not so for chaotic functions, and weather is very much such a function.Small events may cascade and cause larger events. However, the strength of effects also dissipate. — Bitter Crank
It is meant literally. One wave of a butterfly wing, sufficiently prior to said chaotic event, is the difference between a hurricane and not that hurricane. This is not to be confused with the wing being the sole cause, but for any storm in history, the storm would not have ever existed given any seeming trivial difference in the distant past. Instead, other storms would happen.The butterfly-causing-a-hurricane is a figure of speech -- not to be taken literally.
So, what do you think?
Of course, there's always the case of the straw that broke the camel's back — CasKev
I think the butterfly effect is a reductio ad absurdam, an unending infinite regress — Cavacava
The perturbance from one slow sand-grain meteor can make the difference between a planet remaining in orbit or being ejected permanently into deep space. — noAxioms
The butterfly-causing-a-hurricane is a figure of speech -- not to be taken literally — Bitter Crank
There's an underlying math — tim wood
Orbital mechanics are unstable beyond two objects. Look up three-body problem. The sun is massive enough to dominate our solar system, and the planets sufficiently distant from each other that their mutual interaction is not likely to throw one away soon. Nevertheless, prior positions of planets are known only so far into the past because of this unpredictability.The perturbance from one slow sand-grain meteor can make the difference between a planet remaining in orbit or being ejected permanently into deep space.
— noAxioms
That's scary. Are you serious? — TheMadFool
It is meant literally. — noAxioms
It's literally bullshit, — Bitter Crank
Orbital mechanics are unstable beyond two objects. Look up three-body problem. The sun is massive enough to dominate our solar system, and the planets sufficiently distant from each other that their mutual interaction is not likely to throw one away soon. — noAxioms
Uttering a few magic words can and does alter the local airflow, humidity, temperature, pressure. — TheMadFool
Those things have more effect on the rotation of Earth (nonchaotic and more predictable) and not so much the orbit, and all of them are negligible compared to tides. Not sure what you mean by polar shifts. Magnetic or physical? There's clear evidence only for the former.While the escape velocity is unlikely, the subject has been of some interest since the Newtonian 'wobble' effect along the axis caused by possible changes to the internal motions of the crust relative to earth' spin from events like earthquakes, environmental depletion and even nuclear testing that all impacts on polar shifts. — TimeLine
Orbital resonance is a gravitational interaction, and only a close passing object would alter the moon orbit more than (again) the tides. The moon is slated to eventually collide with Earth, but that is not a chaotic event. They can predict the time pretty accurately, and it turns out to be moot. The sun will swallow both first.If you think of something like orbital resonance, gravitational interactions and any possible deceleration of earth there could possibly bump us into a higher or lower orbit, or at the very least would have some lunar impact that would devastate the internal planetary dynamics.
Superstition would assert that the magic words get to choose the desired weather. Butterfly effect helps you not at all on that account. You are indeed wielding the tool incorrectly.Also, the Butterfly Effect is a scientific theory. I just want to explore its logical implications, one of which seems to allow for superstitions to be true. — TheMadFool
I just want to explore its logical implications, one of which seems to allow for superstitions to be true. — TheMadFool
I was just wondering if I could change the future of the universe itself by simply blinking an eye. — TheMadFool
If you need to try and even dignify that question using philosophy or science, you ought to give up on both — StreetlightX
Maybe. The point is that you can't decide exactly what happens as a result of blinking your eye. — Efram
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