Abstract
The "Butterfly Effect" metaphor states with variance that the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas. This metaphor has become part of the common vernacular of Western culture. In this paper I discuss the origins of the metaphor, examine its current usage within popular culture, and present an argument as to why it is popular. I propose that the metaphor is a type of semantic attractor, a narrative device with invariant meaning but audience-specific contextualization. Finally I address whether the Butterfly Effect metaphor is a good example of itself.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 279-288 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - Jul 2009 |
Keywords
- Chaos theory
- Edward lorenz
- Metaphor
- Sensitive dependence
- Western culture
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Mathematics