We often get to hear about a certain school of thought called Chaos Theory. It was proposed, and gets cited, by mathematicians who usually tend to lose the plot quickly when dealing with complex issues. When asked for a definition of Chaos Theory, their usual reply is: “It is tough to define chaos, but it is easy to recognise it when you see it!” They redeem themselves by dishing out complex mathematical equations, arguing that it is a state of unpredictability in the behaviour of a complex natural system, whatever that means.
Essentially, a small error can result in a much magnified disaster. The theory has application in mathematics, engineering, economics, and biological systems such as pandemics, and many other areas that deal with uncertainty and a gaping void. The basic premise of Chaos Theory is that small differences in initial conditions, such as rounding off errors in…
