Daniel and the Butterfly Effect

What my son Daniel was talking about in the previous post is something that has been called the Butterfly Effect. It's a component of chaos theory, wherein very small, even infinitesimal changes in variables can ultimately affect an entire system. It was originally discussed in terms of meteorology, asking the fanciful question, "Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?" (For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect.)

It's a wonderful name for a powerful concept. I find it comforting when the world starts looking so impossibly out-of-control. Be a butterfly! Flutter your wings for change!