Post on 13-Feb-2017
1. Unifying Art and Science
Charles Darwin
Subtitled his great workPreservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life
So why are we artists?
I found an answer in an accidental discovery
James Clerk Maxwell “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field”
1864
1864
“The theory I propose may therefore be called a theory of the Electromagnetic Field because it has to do with the space in the neighborhood of the electric or magnetic bodies…”
James Clerk Maxwell “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field”
”…I am induced by many reasons to suspect that they may all depend upon certain forces by which the particles of bodies, by some causes hitherto unknown, are either mutually impelled towards each other, and cohere in regular figures, or are repelled and recede from each other…”
Isaac Newton 1686
Maxwell’s Equations Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass
1864 1863
A unique confluence of revolutionary inventions
Arthur CayleyMatrices
1858
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
1859
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
1865
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1863
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1865
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1864/65
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1863
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
Leo Tolstoy War and Peace
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1865
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
Leo Tolstoy War and Peace
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Karl Marx Das Kapital
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1865-66
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
Leo Tolstoy War and Peace
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Karl Marx Das Kapital
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Gregor Mendel “Experiments on
Plant Hybridization”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1866
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
Leo Tolstoy War and Peace
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Karl Marx Das Kapital
Auguste Rodin “Man with a Broken Nose”
Gregor Mendel “Experiments on
Plant Hybridization”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1858-1866
All derived from a singular idea”
1858-1866Environments
Arthur CayleyMatrices
Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Louis Pasteur "Corpuscles in the
Atmosphere"
Leo Tolstoy War and Peace
James Clerk Maxwell“A Dynamical Theory of
the Electromagnetic Field”
Karl Marx Das Kapital
Auguste Rodin “Man with a
Broken Nose”
Gregor Mendel “Experiments on
Plant Hybridization”
Edouard Manet"Luncheon on
the Grass"
1858-1866EnvironmentsJames Clerk Maxwell
“A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field”
1858-1866
Knowing what to look for I found other confluences of invention
Objects 1498Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
Objects 1506Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
Objects 1509Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Objects 1499Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
MichelangeloPieta
Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
MichelangeloPieta
Objects 1517
Machiavelli The Prince
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
Objects 1513Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
MichelangeloPieta
Machiavelli The Prince
MooreUtopia
Objects 1516Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
MichelangeloPieta
Machiavelli The Prince
MooreUtopia
ErasmusIn Praise of
Folly
Objects 1509Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
MichelangeloPieta
Machiavelli The Prince
MooreUtopia
Objects 1507
Albrecht Durer “Adam and Eve”
ErasmusIn Praise of
Folly
Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
MichelangeloPieta
Leonardo da VinciThe Last Supper
BramanteSt. Peter’s Cathedral
CopernicusHeliocentric
System
Machiavelli The Prince
MooreUtopia
Martin Luther“95 Theses”
Michelangelo”Sistine Chapel"
Objects 1498-1520
Albrecht Durer “Adam and Eve”
ErasmusIn Praise of
Folly
Thales of MiletusLogos
Universals c. 600BC
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Universals c. 600BCThales of Miletus
Logos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
Universals c. 600BCThales of Miletus
Logos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BCThales of Miletus
Logos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BCThales of Miletus
Logos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BC
Theater
Thales of MiletusLogos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
Free Standing BuildingsDoric Order
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BC
Theater
Thales of MiletusLogos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
Free Standing BuildingsDoric Order
Aesop’sFables
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BC
Theater
Thales of MiletusLogos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
Free Standing BuildingsDoric Order
Aesop’sFables
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
Black Figure Vases
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BC
Theater
Thales of MiletusLogos
Thales of MiletusGeometric Proof
Kouros Archaic Art
Free Standing BuildingsDoric Order
Aesop’sFables
KourosFree Standing Sculpture
Black Figure Vases
Polis
SolonConstitution of Athens
Universals c. 600BC
Theater
Thales of MiletusLogos
Cave Art
Symbols c. 50,000
Cave Art Venus Figures
Symbols c. 50,000
Cave Art Venus Figures
Symbols c. 50,000Language and Storytelling
Cave Art Venus Figures
Symbols c. 50,000Language and Storytelling
Fashioned tools
Cave Art Venus Figures Decorated bodies
Symbols c. 50,000Language and Storytelling
Fashioned tools
Cave Art Venus Figures Decorated bodies
Symbols c. 50,000
Music
Language and Storytelling
Fashioned tools
Cave Art Venus Figures
Dance
Decorated bodies
Symbols c. 50,000
Music
Language and Storytelling
Fashioned tools
Cave Art Venus Figures
Dance
Decorated bodies
Tribal Life
Symbols c. 50,000
Music
Language and Storytelling
Fashioned tools
Cave Art Venus Figures Language and Storytelling
Dance
Decorated bodies
Tribal Life “Magic”
Symbols c. 50,000
Music
Fashioned tools
Each marked the beginning of a great period of knowledge…
Based on thatsingular idea
The Pattern of Knowledge
Periods Sites Fasteners
Symbols
Universals
Objects
Environments
Singular
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Plural
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
12 Phases
I could divide each in two distinct halves • Singular• Plural
The Pattern of Knowledge
Periods Semi-Periods Fasteners
Symbols
Universals
Objects
Environments
Singular
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Plural
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
12 Phases
And each half again in half into • Parts• Wholes)
The Pattern of Knowledge
Periods
Symbols
Universals
Objects
Environments
Singular
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Plural
Parts
Connections
Relations
Transformations
Wholes
Connections
Relations
Transformations
12 Phases
And each of those into three parts • Connections• Relations• Transformations
The Pattern of Knowledge
Entities Sites Fasteners
Symbols
Universals
Objects
Environments
Singular
PartsConnections
Relations
Transformations
WholesConnections
Relations
Transformations
Plural
PartsConnections
Relations
Transformations
WholesConnections
Relations
Transformations
12 Phases
12 “phases” in Symbols
Universals
Objects
Environments
Symbols went through these phases many times.
Universals phases repeated in Medieval Europe
I call this the “Pattern of Knowledge”
While I focused on “Western knowledge,” I believe this pattern of the evolution of knowledge is independent of culture.
The Pattern lets us explore interesting connections between art and science.
Plural Environments Parts Relations
Einstein, “On the Electrodynamics of Moving BodiesPicasso, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon
19051907
Plural Universals Parts Connections
Democritus, Atomic TheoryParthenon
c. 430437
Plural Objects Wholes Relations
Delacroix, The Fanatics of TangierFaraday, Lines of Force
c. 1840 1838
Plural Environments Wholes Relations
Feynman, Feynman DiagramsJackson Pollack, No. 5, 1948
19481948
Singular Objects Wholes Relations
Kepler, The New AstronomyCaravaggio, The Calling of St. Matthew
16091600
Finding fascinating connections
Parts TransformationsPlato
Parts TransformationsPlato Dante
Parts TransformationsPlato Dante Kant
Parts TransformationsPlato Dante Kant Einstein
You may be wondering …
Since we seem to have ended the environments periods…
2. What’s next?
Symbols as the simplest building block
Universals
Objects
Environments
?
I pictured…I thought of…
Symbols as the simplest
Universals as collections of symbols
Objects
Environments
?
Symbols as the simplest
Universals as collections of symbols
Objects as collections of universals
Environments
?
Symbols as the simplest
Universals as collections of symbols
Objects as collections of universals
Environments as collections of objects
?
I pictured…What is a collection of environments?
I pictured…
I turned back to the 19th century
I pictured…
And wondered how …
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation Maxwell’s Electrodynamics
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation Maxwell’s Electrodynamics
Could coexist?
Knowledge has to be a human construction
Invented, not discovered
Symbols as the simplest
Universals as collections of symbols
Objects as collections of universals
Environments as collections of objects
A collection of environments is an artifact
Then…
Symbols as the simplest
Universals as collections of symbols
Objects as collections of universals
Environments as collections of objects
A collection of environments is an artifact
Gehry, Stata Center MIT 2004
What is an artifact?
A human construction
A pattern
For thought as well as for things
Library of Alexandria, Von Corven, c. 19th century
This is an artifact
And this…
Frederic Church, The Heart of the Andes, 1859
Or this
Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872
Or this
Kandinsky, Landscape with Two Poplars, 1912
They are all human constructions.
LEGOLAND Billund, Denmark
They are all patterns.
3. Is there a deeper connection?
We make patterns constantly…
Feynman doodles
Move our furniture
Cover our walls…
Mold our ceilings
In everything we do.Carve our columns
Inside and OutsidePlant our Gardens
“Mathematics has become the science of patterns”Lynn Steen 1988
Do mathematics
Play sports
Study science
Tell stories
Create art
M. C. Escher, Circle Limit III, 1959
Describe history
Compte, Theory of Science c. 1848
Plan cities
L’Enfant Map of Washington, DC
Play music
Bach, Fugue
Everywhere
All the time
So how do we decide which ones we should keep…
Leonardo’s Sketchbook
And share?
I would argue that those are…
Cassiopeia
Unique
M31, the Galaxy beyond Andromeda
We know uniqueness
The Standard Model
Because it is beautiful
Garrett Lisi, A Theory of Everything
…I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary…
Isaac Newton
When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.
Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983)
Fuller dome
It seems that if one is working from the point of view of getting beauty in one's equations, and if one has really a sound insight, one is on a sure line of progress.
Paul Dirac 1963
Paul Dirac 1963
We are artists because…
From art we learn beauty…
To make the unique patternswe use and share.
Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object of which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.
Charles Darwin 1859