"chaos theory" -Reply to Hans Despain

[Lisa Rogers <eqwq.lrogers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, Hans, I know three weeks seems a long time on a list of such
high volume recently, but here goes.

What do you think is valid about "hesitancy" with regard to modelling
social phenomena?  (Modelling in terms of capturing a few key
relationships, or even one important "tendency".)

By "necessity" I take it you mean "causality" or causal relation.  If
so, I think we may agree on something here, but I wouldn't limit it
to _non_linear analyses.  I think of something like causality as one
of the things that produces patterns in the world, and causes and
patterns may be amenable to analysis in general [not just analysis in
the literal sense of "taking apart".]

What might the "philosophical ontology" of "chaos" look like?  I
don't think it is or need be any different than the ontology of
skeptical realism that seems to underlie science in general.  What is
the ontology of _any_ modelling?  Or analysis in general? i.e.
attempts to discern principal factors/forces/tendencies within a
system?

Does "chaos" really need a different, specific ontology?  I don't see
how or why?

Thanks for any replies,
Lisa


>>> HANS DESPAIN <HANS.DESPAIN@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>  9/21/95, 07:22pm >>>
[snip]
I do not think people have to be like fish to fit non-linear
equations.   However, Jerry hesitancy toward non-linear equations for
capturing social  phenonema seems valid.

It seems to me that if there is such a thing of "necessity" in social
 science (as Marxian theory "wants" to argue), then there must be
social  phenomena which might fit a non-linear analysis.
[snip]
Like Chris B. (among others), I believe that there is a case of
naturalism for chaos, however, like Jerry, I also want to be very
careful  to the limits of this type of modeling, especially in the
social science.

Chaos must have a philosophical ontology so to make since of its
results  (and beginings).

Hans Despain


     --- from list marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---




     --- from list marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---

     ------------------