This page is for discussing the contents of The Science of shapes.
Comments:
2010-01-22 18:57:33 Yes, good subject. I half-remember some'philosophy of science' debates about the significance of shape - its one of those deceptively tricky topics though... Mathematical debates - fractal shapes, double-helixs - is this the sort of thing here? - are relatively straightforward, by comparison on this - or am I fooling myself!
We should try to 'crack it', for sure... —docmartin
2010-04-17 20:45:02 I recommend the following youtube video: ![[WWW]](http://wikispot.org/wiki/eggheadbeta/img/sycamore-www.png){kind=small}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j_z-ig6QJ8&feature=related
(in two parts)
Lots of material there.
"Architecture is frozen music" —JohannesKepler
2010-04-21 12:08:01 Yes, the connections to voodoo science and simulacra now come to mind too... —docmartin
2010-04-22 21:06:38 And our old friend Paracelsus, too... —PerigGouanvic
2010-04-22 21:41:15 Maybe Sir Maddox should be featured with the other Guardians? Interview of him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRjQmZLT8bI —Lizz
2010-04-23 18:32:56 what is morphogenetic exactly anyway? Shouldn't such words be banned? —NormanNitram
The term [morphic fields] is more general in its meaning than morphogenetic fields, and includes other kinds of organizing fields in addition to those of morphogenesis; the organizing fields of animal and human behaviour, of social and cultural systems, and of mental activity can all be regarded as morphic fields which contain an inherent memory.
—Rupert Sheldrake, The Presence of the Past (Chapter 6, page 112)
This was useful remark. I have put this text on the page. — PG
2010-04-24 06:09:12 Although i find Sir Maddox's behaviour contemptible, I'd rather not give too much publicity to this man, especially since he's featured on the Science Magic page now.
Do shapes exist or not? That is the question. —JohannesKepler
2010-04-24 06:12:28 I suggest we rename this page.
Do Shapes Exist?
or is this too esoteric? People often tell me I'm too esoteric. —JohannesKepler
2010-10-05 12:41:01 There are some very interesting ideas here, but I find it hard to get to them 'through the jargon'. Can we try to put it across in a more 'newspaper' (everyday) language way?
eg, a lot of this 'constructal law'... urgh!
Jo Kepler asks 'is the science of shapes esoteric?' - well, yes, but the esoteric is often the msot interesting part of a story... we should build on these aspects more. —NormanNitram
2010-10-05 16:11:54 First step is to remove the "constructal" part. Here it is, for later reference:
Constructal Theory
Constructal Theory Web Portal
In 1996, the constructal law was formulated and proposed to expand thermodynamics in a fundamental way. First was the proposal to recognize that there is a universal phenomenon not covered by the first law and the second law. That phenomenon is the generation of configuration, or the generation of ‘design’ in nature.
All thermodynamic systems in nature are flow systems (i.e. live, non-equilibrium systems), and they all have configuration. If they do not have it, then they acquire
it, in time. The generation of configuration is ubiquitous, like other phenomena covered by other ‘laws’ in physics. Biological systems are configured. Geophysical systems are configured. Engineering and societal systems are configured. The configuration phenomenon unites the animate with the inanimate. All the other phenomena of physics (i.e. of ‘everything’) have this unifying power. Falling rocks, like falling animals, have weight, conserve energy, generate entropy, etc.
Adrian Bejan and Sylvie Lorente
The constructal law of design and evolution in nature
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 2010
Constructal theory is this mental viewing:
(i) The generation of design (configuration, pattern, geometry) in nature is a physics phenomenon that unites all animate and inanimate systems, and
(ii) This phenomenon is covered by the Constructal Law: "For a finite-size (flow) system to persist in time (to live), its configuration must evolve such that it provides easier and easier access to its currents." (Bejan, 1996)
The Constructal Law is about the time direction of the "movie" of design generation and evolution. It is not about optimality (min, max), end design, destiny or entropy.
The concept that the Constructal Law defines in Physics is "design" (configuration) as a phenomenon in time.
2010-10-05 16:45:11 thanks for the input. found a new way to approach the topic — outrageous empirical evidence!! —PerigGouanvic
2010-10-05 23:44:17
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/the-lay-scientist/2010/sep/24/1
... here's some useful guidelines on how to write articles about science. We should make this format kind of obligatory... eh? —NormanNitram
2010-10-07 00:51:10 totally. —PerigGouanvic
