The essence of chaos. Lorenz E. N.

Unlike phenomena considered in the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, systems that are now described as “chaotic” can be observed without telescopes or microscopes. They vary from the simplest events to the most difficult processes: from the fall of the sheet to the fluctuations in the climate. However, any similar process has certain quantitative characteristics. The way it unfolds sensitively depends on its current state, so it seems random, although it is not one. Lorenz uses examples from everyday life and simple calculations to show the essence of chaotic systems. As the main illustrative example, he built a mathematical model of a board sliding along the ski slope. With the help of this model, he explains various chaotic phenomena, including some of the concepts related to them, such as strange attractors and bifurcation. In the “essence of chaos”, Lorenz represents the features of “new science” and its influence on modern life - from the prediction of weather to philosophy.