Beauty and Science
Published on 31. August 2004
Book
Hardback
96 pages
978-1-85312-740-3 (ISBN)
Description
Technology subjugates the environment for economic purposes. Biotechnologies exploit life and living organisms. Science, now preoccupied with applied knowledge, has lost its ancient appreciation of beauty. In this book, the distinguished author examines a planet threatened by human attempts to dominate nature, the unforeseen consequences of 'progress' and a postmodern society increasingly hostile to basic human psychic needs. In order to rescue global resources for future generations and promote human government of human beings, he suggests a reappraisal of the aesthetic element present in nature, a mixing of science, poetry, creative mathematics and artistic imagination. He does this through narrative and anecdotes, masterfully drawing on historical, philosophical, scientific, literary, artistic and other sources.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Southampton
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 148 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-85312-740-3 (9781853127403)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Chapter 1: Fine and beautiful things Archimedes; Song of the sky loom; Epistemology Chapter 2: Indigo and the death of an Indian physicist Robed with Sun; A seminar in Madras; More on colours; "Chaos and colour are good for us" Chapter 3: Cosmogonies Water, sun and moon: Moroccan cosmogony; Pachamama, Mother Earth Chapter 4: Energy and form: the jade talisman Solid ghosts (1); The jade talisman; The sloth woman; And autumn will come with shells... Chapter 5: Metropolis Gardens of time; Chaos and beauty Chapter 6: The Burmese Harp Cinema, mon amour; The butterfly enigma; Jazz and mathematics Chapter 7: Olea fragrans The garden of earthly delights; Perfumes and entropy; "Progressive" hormones? Chapter 8: Mullet roe In search of lost flavours; Dinners and suppers of the Gonzaga family; Axolotl and deceptions of the palate Chapter 9: "There's something new, or rather old, today in the sun" Ambiguous and asymmetrical is beautiful; Puerto Viejo de Talamanca Chapter 10: Blue eye, brown eye Natural capital; Aesthetics revisited Chapter 11: The Novices of Sais