Nonlinear and Complex Dynamics in Real Systems

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/ijnsns.2006.7.2/ijnsns.2006.7.2.191/ijnsns.2006.7.2.191.xml?format=INT.In this article we provide a review of the literature with respect to fluctuations in real systems and chaos. In doing so, we contrast the order and organization hypothesis of real systems to nonlinear chaotic dynamics and discuss some techniques used in distinguishing between stochastic and deterministic behavior. Moreover, we look at the issue of where and when the ideas of chaos could profitably be applied to real systems