>
> I would like to jump in here. Randomness and determinism are united in
> nonlinear systems.
>
[snip]
>
> There is a third alternative, chance + rules = determinism.
>
I agree with these assessments, and would add that they are supported by the
principle of molecular self-assembly as exemplified by thermal
copolymerization of amino acids. When a pool containing a dilute mixture of
amino acids (among other things) dries out, chance dictates what amino acids
in what proportion are present. Chance may also play a hand in how the amino
acids are distributed throughout the anhydrous mixture. However, when
copolymerization begins, it is the information contained in the structure and
chemical nature of the amino acids that determines which amino acids will
polymerize together in what sequence. In other words, this information
causes the amino acids to selectively polymerize in a way that produces a
limited number of nonrandom catalytically active polyamino acids. So the
combination of chance and molecular information (governed by the
physiochemical laws) produces molecular determinism, which is the basis of
molecular self-assembly.
Kevin L. O'Brien