Resumo de In The Wake Of Chaos

Chaos has rapidly approached quantum as the favorite
scientific buzz-word of crackpots, pseudo-scientists, and others of that ilk.
Even in the humanities and social sciences chaos theory is less often used to
model phenomena than invoked as support for outré metaphysical claims or
sweeping generalizations about the demise of Western science. As an exposition
of the philosophical implications of chaos theory, Kellert''s In the Wake of
Chaos is therefore an important work.

Kellert begins by defining chaos theory as the qualitative study of unstable
a periodic behavior in deterministic nonlinear dynamical systems. He goes on to
explain this in non-technical language, but he doesn''t provide a general
introduction to chaos theory: readers are expected to have read at least
popular accounts of the subject.

Chapter two addresses the topics of predictability and sensitive dependence
on initial conditions. Kellert argues that the problems of prediction raised by
chaos theory require a new form of impossibility, between theoretical
impossibility (violation of accepted laws of nature) and practical
impossibility (ruled out by human limitations). He suggests the term transcendental
impossibility for describing tasks which are not theoretically impossible but
whose achievement is inconsistent with fundamental, non-contingent facts about
enquiry.

Chapter three tackles some of the gnarly issues surrounding the concept of
determinism. Kellert examines four of the many different meanings of the term
(differential dynamics, unique evolution, value determinateness, and total
predictability). He argues that the combination of chaos theory and quantum
mechanics leaves anything except weak, local forms of determinism untenable.
(He does seem a little unsure of himself when it comes to quantum mechanics,
but his arguments are still convincing.)

When it comes to our notions of understanding, Kellert argues that chaos
theory has consequences both methodological ? discouraging microreductionism
and encouraging experimental approaches and diachronic perspectives ? and
epistemological ? favoring qualitative over quantitative prediction, geometric
structures over causal mechanisms, and the search for order over the search for
laws. All of these are changes in emphasis within science, however,
and Kellert warns:

To see chaos theory as a revolutionary new science that is
radically discontinuous with the Western tradition of objectifying and
controlling nature falsifies both the character of chaos theory and the history
of science. ... Any expectation that chaos theory will re-enchant the world
will meet with disappointment.

The final chapter explores possible explanations for the long delay in the
development of chaos theory. Kellert argues that social and ideological factors
played a central role, along with more technical ones such as the lack of
computers and mathematical prejudice against the intractably non-linear.

In the Wake of Chaos does cover a lot of material rather rapidly:
those without any background in the philosophy of science may find it a little
too concise; those with only a shallow grasp of the necessary mathematics may
find some parts hard to follow. But a better presented or more clearly argued
alternative is hard to imagine. In my opinion it behooves anyone who wants to
make philosophical claims about chaos to acquire at least enough understanding
of it to be able to follow Kellert''s book.

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