Aspects of dialectics and non-linear dynamics

Three principles of dialectical analysis are examined in terms of non-linea r dynamics models. The three principles are the transformation of quantity into quality, the interpenetration of opposites, and the negation of the ne gation. The first two of these especially are interpreted within the framew orks of catastrophe, chaos and emergent dynamics complexity theoretic model s, with the concept of bifurcation playing a central role. Problems with th is viewpoint are also discussed.