The order in uncertainty

Chaos theory shook a key scientific idea: determinism. This is Newton's clockwork universe that sees the world working like a clock, always predictable.

Steven Strogatz (2015) argued that determinism reflects a human desire to impose order on a chaotic world. This yearning for order is evident even earlier in prehistoric societies, such as those who built Stonehenge in England and the archaeoastronomy sites in the American Southwest. Ancient cultures around the globe aligned stones, structures, and rock art with celestial events to reveal a sophisticated understanding of the universe as a predictable clockwork system governed by the movements of the sun, moon, and stars.

Ancient creation myths and Greek philosophers envisioned a cosmos emerging from chaos—light from darkness, form from void. Scientifically, the Ionian Greeks, learning astronomy from the Egyptians, predicted eclipses with remarkable accuracy. In the 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton cemented this view with laws of motion, showing how past events shape the present and present events dictate the future. For instance, his equations allowed astronomers to forecast planetary orbits precisely, portraying the universe as a predictable machine (Strogatz, 2015).

Yet, irregularities persisted. Scientists dismissed the irregularities as anomalies and outliers. However, the anomalies hinted at limits to Newtonian order. A falling apple follows a clear path, but a swirling storm defies exact prediction. The stage was set for a new perspective as dynamic processes clashed with rigid deterministic models.