BEAUTY in SCIENCE and SPIRIT, with
FOREWORD by Philip Hefner
"If
nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing." Scientist-Mathematician
Henri Poincaré
Over many millennia, the mathematical beauty of modern science emerged
from the mystical beauty of spiritual stories, illumined by art. Albert
Einstein’s vision of the vastness and beauty of the universe was expressed in
the language of mathematics and his “cosmic religious feeling.”
Charles Darwin explained the evolution of "forms most
beautiful" by variations and the natural selection law. Yet many doubt
Darwin. How could a process having randomness lead to life and even beauty? Dr.
Carr shows how randomness coupled with law is creative, as evidenced by the
recent discovery that fractal geometry permeates nature’s beauty, from
snowflakes to the branching of plants and lungs. Both fractals and evolution
are characterized by the interplay of chance and necessity.
This
interplay extends to science and spirit. The scientific account of the origin
of the universe complements that of spiritual stories. Each can be beautiful in
its own way, because spiritual and scientific stories have different
purposes. Spiritual stories answer
"why" and give guidance and motivation for living. Scientific
theories explain "how," give a coherent rational account of
measurements, and make predictions. Integrating the "how" with the
"why" can lead to a beautiful new
story that transcends national and cultural differences.
The complementary beauty of science and spirit
can give us a wider vision. Science and technology without spiritual and moral
guidance can result in the exploitation of nature’s beauty. Deforestation and
the combustion of fossil fuels contribute to the growing threat of global
climate change. The power of spiritual values can help in orienting us towards
more equitable balance between ecology and economics.
VIDEOS:
- Paul Carr
discusses beauty and creativity on Bedford Community TV http://picasaweb.google.com/henryhonda57/2PaulsDiscussBeauty/photo#s5107994212430903842
