# What do we mean when we say something is "Non-Linear"?

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For example; Causation.

How can causation be non-linear?

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The 'effect' produced does not vary linearly with the 'cause ?

For example, tapping someone on the head may produce a mild headache.
Tapping someone a little harder would produce a bigger headache.
That is the linear response part.

If however, you bang someone on the head really hard … they die.
That is the non-linear part ,because the effect produced diverges drastically.

Tis can also be explained in terms of mathematical functions, but it isn't as interesting.

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1 hour ago, MigL said:

The 'effect' produced does not vary linearly with the 'cause ?

For example, tapping someone on the head may produce a mild headache.
Tapping someone a little harder would produce a bigger headache.
That is the linear response part.

If however, you bang someone on the head really hard … they die.
That is the non-linear part ,because the effect produced diverges drastically.

Tis can also be explained in terms of mathematical functions, but it isn't as interesting.

Interesting, I always thought it was suggesting a causal thread that ties into past and future events, and that all events or some events have multiple causes.

I imagine a future where I tap you on the head.

I tap you on the head.

The creator of the piano imagines a piano.

The creator sketches and plans to build a piano.

The creator makes the piano.

Are you familiar with the Character Bran from GOT? I think this relates to the concept of Non-Linear time.

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5 hours ago, MSC said:

For example; Causation.

How can causation be non-linear?

mathematically; (as I remember)

$\alpha$ and $\beta$ are constants and x and y are vectors/variables.

if ;

$f(\alpha. x + \beta .y) = \alpha . f(x) + \beta.f(y)$ then f is linear. (if not,normally f is non-linear)

Edited by ahmet
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• 2 months later...
On 10/10/2020 at 9:58 PM, MSC said:

Interesting, I always thought it was suggesting a causal thread that ties into past and future events, and that all events or some events have multiple causes.

I imagine a future where I tap you on the head.

I tap you on the head.

The creator of the piano imagines a piano.

The creator sketches and plans to build a piano.

The creator makes the piano.[/quote]

None of those things has anything to do with "linearity".

Are you familiar with the Character Bran from GOT? I think this relates to the concept of Non-Linear time.

No, I am not.  But I think the term you want is "branching"  rather than "non-linear".

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