Miracles of Math That Will Open Your Mind
Chaos Theory, fractals, flying cars, and what it means to live a “well-lopsided” life.
“As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.” — Albert Einstein
Dear Reader,
Happy Monday, y’all! Today we wrap up our math series that we started last week! Enjoy!
(And for a full list of the Five Miracles of Mathematics, go here.)
Chaos Theory and Ralph Abraham
“Chaos theory is a branch of mathematics focused on the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. ‘Chaos’ is an interdisciplinary theory stating that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns…The butterfly effect describes how a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state, e.g. a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas.” — Wikipedia
Basically, Chaos Theory says that you’ll never have enough understanding of the exact present to be able to predict the exact future.
“Chaos theory… says that you can never predict the weather more than a few days away. All the money that has been spent on long-range forecasting — about half a billion dollars in the last few decades — is money wasted. It’s a fool’s errand. It’s as pointless as trying to turn lead into gold. We look back at the alchemists and laugh at what they were trying to do, but future generations will laugh at us the same way.” — Michael Crichton
Ralph Abraham is a professor, mathematician, and chaos theorist whose work has focused on the intersection of mathematics and psychedelics since the 1960s.
“My specific goal is to revolutionize the future of the species. Mathematics is just another way of predicting the future.” — Ralph Abraham
His paper Mathematics and Mysticism is an engaging look into what math might mean. From the abstract:
“Is there a world of mathematics above and beyond ordinary reality, as Plato proposed? Or is mathematics a cultural construct? In this short article, we speculate on the place of mathematical reality from the perspective of the mystical cosmologies of the ancient traditions of meditation, psychedelics, and divination.”
But what does this all mean for you?
If life seems chaotic, remember that on a small scale, you can create ‘algorithms’ for success that can connect your current present with your ideal future. But… keep in mind that these algorithms will only extend so far into the future and will need constant updating based on the present conditions.
How Fractals and the Genius of Mandelbrot Can Relieve Your Anxiety
A fractal is a curve or geometric figure, with each part having the same statistical character as the whole.
These fractal sets were named after Benoit Mandelbrot, whose pioneering work in developing what is now known as “fractal geometry” paved the way for many more mathematicians to study and expound on his ideas.
“Because of his access to IBM’s computers, Mandelbrot was one of the first to use computer graphics to create and display fractal geometric images, leading to his discovering the Mandelbrot set in 1979. He showed how visual complexity can be created from simple rules. He said that things typically considered to be ‘rough’, a ‘mess’, or ‘chaotic’, like clouds or shorelines, actually had a ‘degree of order.’” — Wikipedia
The visual representations of Mandelbrot sets are stunning.
The next time you think your life is too chaotic, too messy, just keep persisting. Mathematics has shown there’s an implicit order in everything around us.
If the golden ratio is present in the layout of our faces…
If the Pareto principle can be found throughout nature and society…
If the seemingly chaotic and unpredictable behavior of cellular automata can be reduced to rules so simple a child could understand them…
… then there is also an underlying (though often unseen) order and structure present in our lives. It’s okay to drop certain anxieties and trust what mathematics shows us — there is an underlying order.
“If there is one thing the history of evolution has taught us it’s that life will not be contained. Life breaks free, it expands to new territories and crashes through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously, but, uh… well, there it is.” — Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park (1993)
The miracles of mathematics are all around us, and there are countless gateways to find them.
“The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.” — JBS Haldane
Whether you use these gateways to bring more meaning to your life, balance your budget, or revel in the mystery… they can open new possibilities and options you never before knew existed.
Hot Off The Press 💪
New on Mission Daily. Should living a balanced life be your goal? Randi Zuckerberg, Founder of Zuckerberg Media, thinks it’s better to be “well-lopsided.” Listen to our interview with Randi.
“I’m really not a fan of the term ‘being well-balanced.’ I don’t think anyone has ever done anything they were proud of in life while being well-balanced, so I give myself permission to be well-lopsided. Whatever I’m focusing on in the moment that I want to be great at, it’s going to mean prioritizing that thing and saying no other things.”
Mission News 🗞
This section features the best of what the team at The Mission HQ is reading, watching, listening to, playing, doing, and meditating on. 🤗
Reading 📚
🧗 Alone on the Wall is the biography of Alex Honnold, one of the greatest rock climbers of all time. In June of 2017, Honnold became the first person to scale Yosemite’s El Capitan without a rope, partner, or any kind of protective gear.
The climb was described by National Geographic as “the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of the sport,” but it took years of intense mental and physical preparation for Honnold to accomplish. Read his unique story here.
🚗 Are you ready to go back to the future? Japan has successfully created a flying car.
🍽 You can’t make food from thin air… can you? Researchers from Finland have found a way to make a protein powder using CO₂, water, and electricity. The best part? To make it, this protein does not rely on any weather or land conditions. Read more.
Food For Thought 🤔
For a wholesome entrance into the week, read The Work You Do, The Person You Are. It’s a good reminder to value your home life.
1. Whatever the work is, do it well — not for the boss but for yourself.
2. You make the job; it doesn’t make you.
3. Your real life is with us, your family.
4. You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.
I have worked for all sorts of people since then, geniuses and morons, quick-witted and dull, bighearted and narrow. I’ve had many kinds of jobs, but since that conversation with my father I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself, and I have never placed the security of a job above the value of home.
Listening 🎧
What happens when Amazon leaves your town? Listen to Land of the Giants.
“In 1999, Amazon opened one of its first warehouses in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas. Fifteen years later, it closed. We visit Coffeyville to learn what Amazon can bring and what it can take away, and what lessons Coffeyville might have for a community that’s just getting started with an Amazon warehouse: Staten Island, New York.”
Monday Motivation ☀️
Need a little motivation boost? Here are 13 success stories of businesses who started as side hustles.
“Some of the most recognizable companies that have raked in millions — or billions — of dollars have started as a small side project …sometimes in a garage, in a basement, or even at a larger company.
From Apple to Under Armour, these are the companies that had humble beginnings.”
Sign Off 🤗
Another week, another newsletter. We are sorry for our short newsletters last week! Just know that we are putting our hearts and souls into a new show soon to be released! 🎉 🥳🍾
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been sharing newsletter series with you. Have you been enjoying them? Let us know by replying to this email or hitting us up on socials @TheMissionHQ!
Catch ya back here tomorrow!
Thanks for tuning into the August 12, 2019 edition of Mission Daily Newsletter! We are playing an infinite game. Join us.
