On Thu, 25 Apr 2002, Ken Brown wrote:

> One of the classic examples of what is now called "chaos" (a word that I
> don't like in this context). The exact trajectory taken by simple models

Uhuh...

> of predator-prey systems is often very sensitively dependent on initial
> conditions.  Of course in real life these things are stochastic anyway

Then I take it you don't like 'stochastic' since they really mean the same
thing in this context. At least one of the variables in the system -must-
be modeled as some sort of (P)RNG.

False distinction (see hand waving below)

> so the variables in your model should actually be probability
> distributions, which makes the sums much harder and leads to
> considerable handwaving. 

unpredictabilty <> hand waving.


 --
    ____________________________________________________________________

         The law is applied philosophy and a philosphical system is
         only as valid as its first principles.
 
                                James Patrick Kelly - "Wildlife"
                                               
     [EMAIL PROTECTED]                                         www.ssz.com
     [EMAIL PROTECTED]                          www.open-forge.org
    --------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply via email to