My original idea of chaos has been altered numerous times during this term. I originally viewed chaos as an unexplainable force that existed all around us. 
I did not think it could be measured except perhaps in the opposition to order in the universe. For example, if we knew everything we potential could know in the universe and there was still something left over, I would have defined that as chaos. Professor Jacobson’s lecture as well as recent articles in the Core Reader have taught me that there is order to chaos and it can be measured and defined. Chaos Theory has become a major part of advanced science and mathematics over the last couple decades.
The use of mathematics when calculating chaos was what surprised me the most. I was surprised when Professor Jacobson made the lecture about mathematics and related it to chaos instead of the other way around. I liked his explanation of a dynamic system in relation to chaos theory, even though he gave too many examples of random number generators and probability tests than was necessary as proof.
The most interesting part about chaos theory for me is the concept known as the Butterfly Effect. Both Professor Jacobson and the Gleick article touched on this topic which is essential to order and chaos. I personally have loved the concept of the Butterfly Effect from a very early age. Watching movies like Terminator, Back To The Future, and The Time Machine as a kid gave me early exposure to the Butterfly Effect. My father and I would spend hours discussing the concept of time travel and time in general. The Butterfly Effect always made an appearance during those debates and ever since I have been fascinated with the notion that the smallest change at a single point in time and space can alter the future anywhere in the universe.
I did not think it could be measured except perhaps in the opposition to order in the universe. For example, if we knew everything we potential could know in the universe and there was still something left over, I would have defined that as chaos. Professor Jacobson’s lecture as well as recent articles in the Core Reader have taught me that there is order to chaos and it can be measured and defined. Chaos Theory has become a major part of advanced science and mathematics over the last couple decades.The use of mathematics when calculating chaos was what surprised me the most. I was surprised when Professor Jacobson made the lecture about mathematics and related it to chaos instead of the other way around. I liked his explanation of a dynamic system in relation to chaos theory, even though he gave too many examples of random number generators and probability tests than was necessary as proof.
The most interesting part about chaos theory for me is the concept known as the Butterfly Effect. Both Professor Jacobson and the Gleick article touched on this topic which is essential to order and chaos. I personally have loved the concept of the Butterfly Effect from a very early age. Watching movies like Terminator, Back To The Future, and The Time Machine as a kid gave me early exposure to the Butterfly Effect. My father and I would spend hours discussing the concept of time travel and time in general. The Butterfly Effect always made an appearance during those debates and ever since I have been fascinated with the notion that the smallest change at a single point in time and space can alter the future anywhere in the universe.
Picture taken from: http://cwaichert.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/chaos-theory.jpg
I was also surprised that chaos could be applied to mathematics.
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