Commentary on paradigms and key word index for NDPLS articles 1997-2006

Although a paradigm shift in the sense of a postmodern worldview might be taking shape in society at large, the core concepts of nonlinear science date back a century, and are only tangentially influenced by other intellectual developments. Relative to contemporary science it offers new concepts concerning events that transpire over time, new hypotheses, new methods for answering new questions, some efficient answers, and a new perspective for understanding what we do not know in addition to knowing how we know what we know. Paradoxically, nonlinear science can be viewed as a narrow specialty within a specific discipline and as a general systems theory that identifies common themes that underlie phenomena found in a wide range of disciplines and specialties. The key word index illustrates the breadth of concepts and applications found in NDPLS, and some pathways for continued growth of the field.