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CHAOS THEORY AND POST MODER NISMJ O E L S N E L L M . A .Kirkwood College

Chaos theory is often associated with post modernism, Howev-er, one may make the point that both terms are misunderstood.The point of this article is to define both terms and indicate theirrelationship.Description: Chaos theory is associated with a definition of atheory dealing with variables (butterflies) that are not directlyrelated to a phenomenon and yet play secondary but forcefulstimuli to the emergence of these phenomena. It is post-modembecause it suggests that the traditional scientific method of dis-covery needs improvement and that interpretation of results maybe flawed.To understand postmodernism, one must first know what camebefore it. However, the standard definition is social patternscharacteristic to postindustrial societies. To get a better under-standing of post modernism, there are two other competingsocial patterns that still exist today (Macionis: 2005). They arepre-modemism and modernism. They are discussed here.

Pre-modernism:Although it is the first form of socialpatterns, it may also be the most abun dant.Many societies rema in at this initial stageor have briefly experimented with mod-ern i sm and then re turned topre-modemism. We see five m ajor poin ts.They are:1. Elem ents of society- People of sameor similar racial heritage ban together. Tol-erance of difference isn't acceptable. The

group looks to the past of a golden age andwants the future to be like this idealisticpast. Hunting & gathering societies, hoeand plow cultures, pastoral societies andagricultural societies are the main meansof produc tion. 2. Social structure- there isfixed and ascribed sex and social classroles. Societies are generally small anddeviation is dealt with by g ossip , trial andordeal, corporal and capitol punishmen t. 3.Social institutions- Tribe, kin, and extend-

not tolerated. There are high birth and deathrates. Social change is slow and only tol-erated.Modernism:This social pattern follows pre-mod-emism. It means: 1) traditional societiescan no longer cope and population increas-es and themeans of production moves fromagricultural to industrialism.2. Personalchoice increases. One may be able to

choose mate, location of life, work, andrelated ac tivities. One has the illusion thatthey can co ntrol their lives. In fact, one isobligated to take actions that control oneslife style.3. Diversity is abundant. Peoplefrom numerous demographics and psy-chogr aph i cs come t oge t he r i n s ma l lgeographic areas called cities. Punishm entis determined by courts of law. 4. Timebecom es extremely important and is sec-tioned into days, nights, work, and play.

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tant. Progress theory is believed.Post modernism:

In this social pattern, only the most"advance" countries are becoming awareof this. It is based on the following assump-tions: 1) Modernity begins to fade. One ofthe promises of modernism is free fromwant. Things do improve dramatically, butthe human condition triumphs over tech-nology. 2. Buoyant optimism attached toprogress begins to lose its luster. The futurecan be bright or perhaps n ot. Upward andonward are not assumed. Each generationhas its own problems. 3. Science sharespower with religion and ma gic. Tradition-al science may be conducted for the benefitof the rich. Scientific research can be ques-t ioned by chaos theory , anddeconstructionism. Much of life is socialconstructed. Post modernism draws alsofrom critical theory. The elite determinethe categories and language im prisons us.Life is extremely fluid when one has anemphatic moment and gets beyond lan-guage . Some say tha t empt iness i sencoun tered. Others claim that mysticismis the prevalent feeling. 4. Social institu-tions are changing as modernism fails. Thestruggle over material goods is partiallyreplaced with the struggle of ideas. Post-post modernism has emerged because postmodernism has become so extreme andobtus e, that is deemed not to be worka ble.The most extreme statement is that lan-guage com es before hum anity. That is justwrong. Humans invent language for sur-v iva l to cons t ruc t soc ie ty . Fur the r ,statements such as there is not a meta-nar-

exist but it is likely to be subjective.Example:Let's apply the three perspectives orpatterns to religion. In pre-modemism, reli-gion is paramount. Humans are evil andirrational. Religion is necessary for control.By reciting group affirmations, the essenceof God reaches and blossoms w ithin indi-

viduals at about the same amount or shouldbe equal. However, Satan is always atwork. God does not have to be defendedwith proofs. The spirit of the religious insti-tu t ion t ranscends any skept ic ism. Inmodernism, skepticism is answered byrational religion. Early traditions of a reli-g ion can a t t imes be thought of asmetaphors that are systematically relatedto each other. Or one is so overwhelmedby God, that a leap of faith is celebrated.We become so rational that we recognizethat even proofs of philosophy and scienceare not enough to support ones beliefs andthus recognizing this we have answeredthe questions of doubters with our ele-mental faith stance. (Leap of faith) Humansare perfectible although they remain sin-ners . Postmodernism suggests that nomatter how we organize religion, we bringtogether individuals who ultimately havetheir own beliefs and come together to wor-ship as if there is oneness in a gro up. Godis beyond words and social construction.Hum ans m ay be perfectible, but that ques-t ion has yet to be answered. We areprobably selfish, but can be encouraged tobe good.

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276 / Education Vol. 130 No. 2

The Seventies:Modernity probably began to suffer dur-ing the height of scientism and the use ofscience in war, media, and other publicdom ains (Pinker: 2002). Science could bemanipulated. Results could be reinterpret-ed . Tech no l ogy cou l d des t r oyenvironments and people. Rational reli-gion of modernism was really a veryimperfect manifestations of words assem-bled to rationalize social class dominance .Chaos theory and deconstruction both hitelite campuses roughly at the same time.This is probably coincidental, but both sug-gested that scientif ic results , scienceexperts, and related are but one more strat-egy to make decisions by the few over themany. In Chaos theory, this m essage w asinadvertent. Chaos theory's most power-ful impact was that mainstream modelingof such things as econometric models werelikely to be wrong, because the modelswould quickly delete as "noise" the verybutterflies that could undue the wholeresearch strategy. However, words werestill important and math was still the under-lying attempt to order nature. Reality wasnot a blur, rather quite the opposite. It wasso very complex that the smallest changescould have big imp acts. Deconstruction-ist went in a different direction to suggestthat humans have but a few root m etaphorsthat help them survive. Nearly all else issuperfluous or manipulated by the few tocontrol the many.

Post-post modernism emerged to indi-cate that regardless of what we say aboutwords, we sure need them to carry on soci-e t y . T h u s , d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s m h a s

tification that novelty could still be par-tially measured or represented and thatscience still had a place w ith religion andma gic. Througho ut history, these are the 3forms of inquiry of how humans havereached out to what we call reality.

Ultimately, human creatures are a com-bination of pre-modem (the attractivenessof the vil lage and family) modernism(empiricism and reason is to be honored)and post-modem (some categorization isvery arbitrary and or manipulative.)

ReferencesMacaronis, J. (2005) Sociology Upper SaddleRiver, New Jersey: PearsonPinker, S. (2002) The Blank Slate New York:Viking

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