Probably not the point of the article, but as a biologist I feel it is important to note that the fractal pattern of natural forms is functional. Ornamentation is subtle design maximization, even if it is just ontogeny recapitulating phylogeny. Often it is an outgrowth of the organic way living creatures self assemble, a sufficiency our architecture could emulate.
See Christopher Alexander’s experiments and gorgeous books of process design.
Also, it is worth noting that SJ Gould has a whole essay where he explicitly compares the spandrels of gothic cathedrals with derived evolutionary structure. Maybe the Church has much to learn from Darwin after all!
Great article. Going off the idea of our need for pattern and repetition, I couldn't help but reflect on my "folk" understanding of information theory and the balance between repetition and randomness that creates information and meaning. Tossing repetition just creates white noise. Similarly, with music, creating music that doesn't use historical convention/pattern makes the music difficult to engage with or enjoy; but creating music that solely uses those conventions will bore the listener eventually. There is a balance between the cyclical/repetitive/patterned and the solely random/linear that is enticing to humans. There's something deeper to explore in our need for stability (repetition) and newness (randomness), and in our ability (or not) to accept new patterns as norms. Culture isn't static but it can't be unmoored. With that, I totally agree that Christians should be creating spaces that provide what the linear, modern/post-modern culture is not providing.
Probably not the point of the article, but as a biologist I feel it is important to note that the fractal pattern of natural forms is functional. Ornamentation is subtle design maximization, even if it is just ontogeny recapitulating phylogeny. Often it is an outgrowth of the organic way living creatures self assemble, a sufficiency our architecture could emulate.
See Christopher Alexander’s experiments and gorgeous books of process design.
Also, it is worth noting that SJ Gould has a whole essay where he explicitly compares the spandrels of gothic cathedrals with derived evolutionary structure. Maybe the Church has much to learn from Darwin after all!
Great article. Going off the idea of our need for pattern and repetition, I couldn't help but reflect on my "folk" understanding of information theory and the balance between repetition and randomness that creates information and meaning. Tossing repetition just creates white noise. Similarly, with music, creating music that doesn't use historical convention/pattern makes the music difficult to engage with or enjoy; but creating music that solely uses those conventions will bore the listener eventually. There is a balance between the cyclical/repetitive/patterned and the solely random/linear that is enticing to humans. There's something deeper to explore in our need for stability (repetition) and newness (randomness), and in our ability (or not) to accept new patterns as norms. Culture isn't static but it can't be unmoored. With that, I totally agree that Christians should be creating spaces that provide what the linear, modern/post-modern culture is not providing.
Brilliant!