Introduction to Chaos and Fractals

Schedule of Readings and Activities

This will change, especially toward the second half of the course. When in doubt, check the online version.

This document was last modified on .

All readings are from James Gleick, Chaos: Making a New Science, unless otherwise noted.


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Class Date Reading Comments
W e e k    O n e
1 Monday, March 28
  • No reading

    • 2 Thursday, March 31
  • The Butterfly Effect, pp. 9-31. Do not read the prologue.
    		• Prepare several written questions and/or comments about the reading. Get these questions to me (in my mailbox on paper or via email) by 9pm the day before class.

    		Friday, April 1 HW 1 Due
    W e e k    T w o
    3 Monday, April 4
  • Revolution, pp. 33-56.


    • 4 Thursday, April 7


    		• Friday, April 8 HW2 Due
    W e e k    T h r e e

    		Monday, April 11 First Paper Due
    5 Monday, April 11
  • TBA

    		•
    6 Thursday, April 14
  • Read "Life's Ups and Downs"
    		•  Do computer exercise (HW3) before class.

    		Friday, April 15 HW 4 Due
    W e e k    F o u r
    7 Monday, April 18 Read "A Geometry of Nature"
    8 Thursday, April 21 No new reading

    		Friday, April 22 HW 5 Due
    W e e k    F i v e
    9 Monday, April 25 Read "The Best Possible Time to be Alive" (handout)
    		 John Anderson to visit class
    10 Thursday, April 28 Read "Strange Attractors"
    W e e k    S i x
    11 Monday, May 2

    12 Thursday, May 5 Read "Universality"
    		 Fractal Show and Tell

    		Friday, May 6 HW 6 Due
    W e e k    S e v e n
    13 Monday, May 9 Read "The Experimenter"
    14 Thursday, May 12 Read "The Dynamical Systems Collective"

    		Friday, May 13 HW 7 Due
    W e e k    E i g h t
    15 Monday, May 16 Read "Images of Chaos"
    16 Thursday, May 19 Read last two chapters in Gleick
    		 Bring Julia set to class
    W e e k    N i n e

    		Monday, May 23 Third Paper Due
    17 Monday, May 23 Read Crutchfield, "What Lies between Order and Chaos?"
    18 Thursday, May 26 Read J.L., Borges, "Library of Babel".

    		Friday, May 27 HW 8 Due
    W e e k    T e n
    19 Monday, May 30 Read A.R. Ammons, "Corson's Inlet"
    20 Thursday, June 2 Final Presentations


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