Previously Alex Altair and I published a post on the applications of chaos theory, which found a few successes but mostly overhyped dead ends. Luckily the comments came through, providing me with an entirely different type of application: knowing you can’t, and explaining to your boss that you can’t.

Knowing you can’t

Calling a system chaotic rules out many solutions and tools, which can save you time and money in dead ends not traveled. I knew this, but also knew that you could never be 100% certain a physical system was chaotic, as opposed to misunderstood.

However, you can know the equations behind proposed solutions, and trust that reality is unlikely to be simpler[1] than the idealized math. This means that if the equations necessary for your proposed solution could be used to solve the 3-body problem, you don’t have a solution.

[[1] I’m [...]

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Outline:

(00:25) Knowing you can’t

(02:16) Explaining you can’t

(04:02) Conclusion

The original text contained 1 image which was described by AI.

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First published:
September 21st, 2024

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Ad58rmDAfXgMrQ4D9/applications-of-chaos-saying-no-with-hastings-greer

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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“Applications of Chaos: Saying No (with Hastings Greer) ” by Elizabeth

LessWrong (30+ Karma)