How does functional programming apply to simulations?

Question

Besides the general question in the title,

• How do functional programmers and functional languages approach the domain of simulations, which seem to be most natural

Answer 1

To complement the other answers: There is a discipline called Functional Reactive Programming that addresses the issue of functional representation of systems that change in time and react to outer events. See

• What is (functional) reactive programming?
• Is functional GUI programming possible?
• Functional Reactive Programming at The Haskell Wiki.