Sensitive Dependence On Initial Conditions...

...or put in more modern words "the butterfly effect", is a very interesting phenomenon which could be applied to almost any area in life. It means that even the slightest change in the initial state of any event will alter its outcome. Let's use the ball-on-the-hill-metaphor. A ball placed on the crest of a hill can roll down in any direction depending on its starting point, and even undistinguished differences will have an effect. But as usual I can't resist the temptation of exploring the possibilities of a metaphor.

If the initial conditions determines which way the ball will roll, does it mean that it has to stay on that path? If you see the ball is going to hit a rock, wouldn't it be possible to change direction? If the ball stops for some reason before it reaches its destination, couldn't you remove that obstacle? Couldn't two different ways lead to the same location? Anyway, the possibilities are endless, and to be able to predict the consequences of your actions you'll need some experience and good knowledge of physics - "the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force."

I don't feel this post is finished as it is, but I'll publish it anyway. Maybe there's some input from cyber-space. A small and distant flutter of wings?