I want to share some of my fancy thoughts on balance as well... can't let Mur catch all the glory, can we now?
Seeing balance as a mid way point between opposites is somewhat simplifying it. The Balance is made of smaller balances which together in turn represent chaos which is balanced with the ultimate balance...
Um, think of it like this: Movement of electrons around the core of an atom is chaotic, yet follows a specific statistical pattern, and the core and the electrons are balanced due to the electrical forces that act between the electrons and protons. If an electron leaves, the atom seeks the balance, by drawing in electrons near it, and it forms all sorts of interesting things. (molecules, crystal networks, etc.) Now, those interesting things in term create life, the universe and everything else. (Who said 42?! )
Life, the universe and everything else in term create a whole bigger mess of things and unbalance other things and it all, in the bundle with space, time, antimatter and what not creates the big bloody mess I like to refer as chaos. Now, it all seems chaotic to us, but all those things tugging on each other, working towards the small balances represent The Balance in Chaos... The Balance, as I see it is the thing that most people see as God, Creator or Cow...
Balance = God. Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. That's all from me. *bows*
Edit: (Four pages?! Don't you know it's 3 am?! *sighs* Fine, I'll read it... But really, this shameless self promoting... tsk tsk tsk )
Edit2: Now I know why the starting value for some of the achievements is one... and some other starting values in MD.