“Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?“
The Butterfly Effect
In 1961 Edward Lorenz made a tiny change to the initial conditions in a weather simulation - entering 0.506 instead of 0.506127 - this small change created a completely different weather scenario. After presenting a study on this effect one meteorologist commented that one flap of a seagull's wings would be enough to alter the course of the weather forever. Following suggestions from colleagues, in later speeches and papers Lorenz used the more poetic butterfly rather than seagull to illustrate the sensitivity of cause and effect sensitivity in meteorology. According to Lorenz, when he failed to provide a title for a talk to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1972 on this subject , Philip Merilees concocted the title “Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?”.
Lorenz’s small change in a weather simulation not only created a completely different weather scenario but changed the way science understands many systems, put Lorenz into the scientific “hall of fame” and created one of the most evocative notions ever to leap from the lab into popular culture: “The Butterfly Effect” - the idea that tiny actions and changes can have large, widespread effects through chain reactions in an interconnected world. A butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in another location.
Lorenz’s small change in a weather simulation not only created a completely different weather scenario but changed the way science understands many systems, put Lorenz into the scientific “hall of fame” and created one of the most evocative notions ever to leap from the lab into popular culture: “The Butterfly Effect” - the idea that tiny actions and changes can have large, widespread effects through chain reactions in an interconnected world. A butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in another location.
The Butterfly Symbol
Although delicate, gentle and graceful many cultures symbolise butterflies as power animals to represent transformation, creativity, endless potential, hope, freedom, vibrant joy and an ability to experience the wonder of life.
In the long process to reach its final phase the butterfly acts as an inspirational metaphor for change, new beginnings and hope. The butterfly represents impermanence and the consistently forward momentum of life - of growth and evolution - “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly” ~ Buckminster Fuller.
The ancient Greek word for butterfly is ψυχή (psȳchē) which primarily means "soul" or "mind" (from which we get the word psychology - the study of the mind). In Greek mythology psyche is translated to mean "breath of life” and In many cultures the butterfly is associated with life, our emotional and inner selves - with inspiration, intuition, playfulness, freedom, fun appreciation, joy and happiness. “Play is the highest form of research” ~ Albert Einstein.
The butterfly’s delicacy is used in many cultures to represent simplicity, sensitivity and lightness of being - to be less wasteful in our lives and keep our demands small, that we can build and do a little at a time so that it becomes great over time - “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” ~ Lao Tzu.
Butterflies are always on the move and in nature they act as pollinators. While bees carry more pollen and are effective small area pollinators butterflies travel longer distances and their continual flitting from flower to flower more than makes up for the quantity of pollen they carry - it’s a perfect example of how a little spread widely can have widespread significance.
In the long process to reach its final phase the butterfly acts as an inspirational metaphor for change, new beginnings and hope. The butterfly represents impermanence and the consistently forward momentum of life - of growth and evolution - “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly” ~ Buckminster Fuller.
The ancient Greek word for butterfly is ψυχή (psȳchē) which primarily means "soul" or "mind" (from which we get the word psychology - the study of the mind). In Greek mythology psyche is translated to mean "breath of life” and In many cultures the butterfly is associated with life, our emotional and inner selves - with inspiration, intuition, playfulness, freedom, fun appreciation, joy and happiness. “Play is the highest form of research” ~ Albert Einstein.
The butterfly’s delicacy is used in many cultures to represent simplicity, sensitivity and lightness of being - to be less wasteful in our lives and keep our demands small, that we can build and do a little at a time so that it becomes great over time - “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” ~ Lao Tzu.
Butterflies are always on the move and in nature they act as pollinators. While bees carry more pollen and are effective small area pollinators butterflies travel longer distances and their continual flitting from flower to flower more than makes up for the quantity of pollen they carry - it’s a perfect example of how a little spread widely can have widespread significance.
The InspireNshare Butterfly
InspireNshare aims to develop the value of people in an increasingly automated and technologised future. We seek to help people realise their potential and to contribute, participate and be empowered through inspiration, networking and sharing. For InspireNshare everyone and anyone can make a difference and with its association with transformation, creativity, potential, hope, lightness of being and freedom nothing symbolises our philosophy and purpose better than the butterfly and the butterfly effect - this is why we have chosen the butterfly as our logo.
* Change
* Change
The world is changing faster than ever - it is important to learn and be able to both accommodate and assimilate change - to change the world and to be to change yourself. Change often involves uncertainty and the unknown - we promote the use of exploration experimentation and experience - there is no better way to learn than to do - to give it a go - to take an experimental scientific approach to learning and life.
* Mind
* Mind
Change, uncertainty and the unknown often involve fear and doubt and these reduce the ability to learn and change - causing people to stick to what is known, even though it may have lost relevance or be inappropriate. We promote the use of holistic people centric methods - there is no better way to relax the mind to learn than with creativity, fun and inspiration.
* Lightness
* Lightness
To change … you must be able to change - legacy dependence, costs and difficulties with new things often prevent people being able to change. We promote the use of light methods and technology - things that can be be quickly and easily picked up, used and combined with other things.
* Butterfly effect
* Butterfly effect
In a technology interconnected world anyone and everyone can make a difference. We recognise this deeply and promote the use of openness and sharing for learning to thrive so in a technology interconnected world.
The InspireNshare Butterfly FX
The InspireNshare Butterfly FX
InspireNshare promote and run activities that to help people connect, share, contribute, participate and be empowered in an increasingly technology interconnected world. We approach things with the playfulness of exploration, experimentation and experience using light methods and technology to inspire and share.
We run, promote and contribute to projects in education and the community that promote peer to peer, open and exploratory methods (Projects in Education) and share our ideas on education and technology at national conferences and events (Keynote, Speaking and Events)
Thinglabs
We run, promote and contribute to projects in education and the community that promote peer to peer, open and exploratory methods (Projects in Education) and share our ideas on education and technology at national conferences and events (Keynote, Speaking and Events)
Thinglabs
Explore, experience and experiment - hands and heads on new technologies, methods and ideas with cheap, free, easy, open "Citizen tech".
eAmbassadors
eAmbassadors
True flip and peer learning - student eAmbassador projects facilitate learning through teaching - our student eAmbassadors act as consultants and teachers to staff and fellow students.
Free Education Project
Free Education Project
#HEFE .... Hack Education For Everyone
The Free Education aims to free our thinking about what education is and how we do it and to provide opportunities for people to inspire and share their free education stories, ideas, resources, tools and tips. We share teachers & practitioners talking about education and the free education tools they use.Teach Meet Tech Events
Free education & Technology fusion events.
Bringing together tech startups, students, teachers, IT people & the public to talk about Education & technology.
Visit http://inspirenshare.com for inspiring & creative inputs into your education & technology strategies, developments & events
