Q&A: The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect
Question
I was asked about the “butterfly effect,” according to which every action I take has infinite consequences. What, then, is the point of altruism? After all, even if I do something with a positive impact, it is possible that in the chain of events that follows from it, more harm than benefit will be caused; and conversely, even if I do not do it, it is possible that more benefit than harm will come from that action.
Answer
There is no such effect. The butterfly effect is an idea that can sometimes happen, where a small event has far-reaching consequences across time and space. It is not true that every event has such consequences. In any case, when we do not know the outcomes, it makes sense to make decisions based on what we do know—that is, based on the immediate range.