One reason that nonlinear science holds such promise for knowledge development is that other theories have not adequately explained the following:
 

• Why is the natural history of an illness not the same in "like" cases?
• Why can we not make reliable predictions about the future even when we have accurate information about the past?
• How is it that crisis can be a positive experience?
• How do we understand wholeness?
• Why is seemingly random or chaotic functioning in many natural systems healthy and optimal functioning?