Exploring the Concept of Order at the Edge of Chaos in the Universe

[elan]

Does anyone have a problem with order at the edge of chaos being the explanation regarding the way the universe operates if yes then why? The reason i am asking this question has to do with a philosophical debate i am having with a group of people.

 

[Phobos]

Well, for starters, what do you mean by "order at the edge of chaos"?

 

[Mike2]

Does anyone have a problem with order at the edge of chaos being the explanation regarding the way the universe operates if yes then why? The reason i am asking this question has to do with a philosophical debate i am having with a group of people.

Perhaps there is some insight into this question in quantum mechanics. In the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, a particle is supposed to take every possible path from one point to another. How a particle can take various paths simultaneously may seem chaotic. But the starting and ending point are something that is fixed. This much seems a well ordered point at the edge of these chaotic paths between them. In this sense, then one can talk about order at the edge of the universe.

 

[elan]

All i am trying to say is that order at the edge of chaos is a good description of evolution and quantum mechanics without going into the details of it.

 

[pibomb]

Order is perturbed description and an element of the human mind. To us, such concepts like equalibrium and order exist two fold because we identify the natural view of something that is "balanced." Chaos and random activity made evolution possible and is near the heart of QM, but order is a way of classifying this invariant reality when everything appears balanced and controlled. I wouldn't say "order on the edge of chaos" is sufficient because it is not a real concept but a generalization of the human mind.