Quite a loaded question but I do believe computers can and will help as they are getting powerful enough to be able to process all the variables and come up with an answer - My idea is that the system appears to be chaotic just because of so much data needing to be processed.

I once thought of putting together a modeling of plate tectonics, stresses and such to see where the next quake would be but it requires an enormous amout of data - rates of movement, types of rock, etc - add to that FFA data as waves go bouncing around the planet, geomagentic info, etc, etc, etc - Almost too much for the mind to comprehend - I don't know enough about 'neural nets' (smart computers) - maybe they can help in this situation - I know they are used for weather modeling.

Computers are merely a tool to assist in the analysis and compilation of data - they can do that job so much better than a mere human mind. It will take a true genius to put the program together to do the enormous job.

Canie