The "butterfly effect"- is EVERYTHING really so interconnected?

I'm reading a Madeleine L'Engle book. There is a lot of theology and philosophy in her writing, and one recurring theme is that every action, however minute, has consequences that may be enormous. Like the old example of the flutter of a butterfly's wings causing a hurricane on the other side of the planet. One line of a song in one of her books goes, "Thou canst not stir a flower, without troubling a star." Do you really think that every action, every decision, however random and seemingly insignificant, has such huge potential consequences? If so, it really makes you think- just deciding what to have for lunch today might mean chaos in some galaxy far far away! How can you even decide WHAT to do? That's a pretty ponderous responsibility! What do you think?

The "butterfly effect"- is EVERYTHING really so interconnected?
It's best not to obsess over this. There are so many little decisions to be made, and no way to predict which ones will have big consequences. If you tried to analyze every little thing you did, you would be paralyzed by fear of your own action.



The vibrations of those tense muscles in your neck would ultimately disrupt the migration patterns of domestic turkeys, to the anguish of us all.
Reply:If I remember right from college philosophy, it has to do with the transference of energy, and the more thought you put into your actions the more disruption you cause and the worse things get. It's not a direct correlation to your decision the way you think it is. It's like you decide to have a meatball sandwich that happens to be the last, so it effects what someone else has for lunch, then they are aggravated and flip off an old lady that has a heartache and crashes into a trunk carrying a crystal bowl that is broken, that happens to belong to a man in France that has had a bad week and that is the last straw so he shoots himself. Cause and Effect. No matter what you do you effect your environment.













To answer your second question, anything is possible. The smallest action can create a large reaction and a large action can fizzle out to a small reaction. To make action you have to move energy which can gain momentum if unobstructed. Nothing is insignificant in this theory, everything is one and the same therefore anything great or small can effect anything else great or small.
Reply:Yup, the butterfly effect is a real proven concept. It is all about the effects of locomotion.



In actuality, the butterfly effect isn't a physical occurrence, it is only the *idea* that if two identical parallel universes ran side by side, and you changed one detail in one of them, eventually they will be completely different, gradually due to that one small difference ( e.i. the flap of a butterflies wing)
Reply:I think you are forgettign about threshold energy.



A butterfly flapping its wings does not create enough energy to alter air currents in a way that creates hurricanes in the south of France. As a philosophical metaphor, however, I think it has some merit.



Oftentimes, minor actions can cause major changes. A slightly less amount of pressure on the brakes on my car is the difference between me getting home safe and crashing into a van filled with kids, killing all concerned for example.
Reply:'The Butterfly Effect' is only a label placed on a concept.

The reality is that everything is connected both on a physical level and also an etheric level. There are many people who believe that not only action but even thought plays an extremely important role in the manifestation of reality.

There are those who believe that thoughts are eternal and the energy of your thoughts is broadcast out through your body and in to the world. The nature of your thought has bearing on the nature of the energy, ie: good thoughts=positive energy and the same equally opposite.

If this concept of the butterfly effect is so enticing to you, you should just endevour to do the best that you can and ensure that your actions and thoughts carry with them a good pure intention.

Peace Love and Mungbeans Baby
Reply:Ripple in still water, when there is no pebble tossed, no wind to blow....
Reply:No I do not think that every action or decision has huge consequences. But of course every action or decision has some kind of effect on something or someone, if only in an indirect way. When a person says that the flutter of a butterfly's wings causes a hurricane somewhere it is with the idea of you never know what little action may be the tipping point for another action.
Reply:Yes, everything is interconnected. For every action there is a reaction, cause and effect, however, you do not have to worry about some huge catastrophe by simple every day actions. It is more to make you realize how important it is to be aware of your thoughts and actions, not to hurt others, be negative, etc. Imagine how positive actions can have a chain reaction.
Reply:Too much coffee today?



Sorry. Yes, everything is interconnected. Some things less so than others (but don't let any chaos theorist hear you say that). You still have to make the decisions and take the actions that affect you and those you love most over the rest of the universe. Otherwise no one would do anything.



Edit (to adtl details): Yeah, I think there is no such thing as an independent action. I do believe that all the consequences from an action continue some ripple effect throughout time and space. Insignificant is the most intriguing word in the additional details, though. I think the significance of any action is weighed differently by different people, to the effect that what is insignificant and what is significant can't be held as any type of universal. You may think turning off the lights in the morning before you go to work somewhat insignificant, but some OCD patients wouldn't be able to function the rest of the day without turning off and on the lights a certain amount of times. Hope that gives you a better idea of what I meant.
Reply:Yes. Read up on Chaos theory.

The answer to how to decide is, "So What?"



Yes it is Chaotic, yes it is interconnected. Some butterfly is fluttering some where else right now and the economy could collapse tomorrow. So What?

You are still part of the system and you make your decisions just as well as you can.



The big thing about Chaotic actions is that your decisions for the most part are buffered out by all of the small beating butterfly wings. The fact that there are so many small causes happening reduces their effect to making reality largely a statistical event.