ABSTRACT
Many dynamic systems fail to reach equilibrium and, consequently, ap' pear random to the casual observer. Processes that appear random may, however, actually be chaotic. Chaotic processes follow rules, but even sim, pIe rules can produce extreme complexity. In particular, the behavior of chaotic processes is very sensitive to small differences in initial conditions. Systems with very similar initial states can follow radically divergent paths over time. As a result, chaotic systems frequently exhibit highly path de' pendent behavior and historical accidents may utip" outcomes strongly in a particular direction.
