The Equation For Aesthetic Measure By Birkhoff
My friend Keith Rowley pointed me at the equation above by 19th century American Mathematician George David Birkhoff. The equation comes from Birkhoff’s 1933 book entitled “Aesthetic Measure”. Here is a perfect example of an equation intended for artistic purpose and yet denotative. Here Birkhoff intends to write an equation to measure levels of aesthetic based on a ratio of order and complexity. Personally, I feel trying to quantify something as broad as the word ‘aesthetic’ is extremely difficult and elusive. I have not read his book so I withhold more comment until I have read what he has to say. My intuition tells me what he is doing is much like my syncopation theory. It will be interesting to see what differences there are.
1 comment:
I was googling Scott (who I've been reading of late and have corresponded with; EVERYTHING that Scott writes, even off the cuff is suffused with an elegance that boggles me!!!), when I happened upon your blog.
I absolutely LOVED your interpretation of FACTORIAL. Saw it first posted on Scott's blog but did not make the connection (a grievous oversight as I sometimes only have time to glance at a blog).
I'm neither a mathematician (though I am the daughter of one) nor a hard science aesthete, but I do love exploring topics poetically utilizing fundamental scientific theories--that is in a greatly reduced state. And actually am working on a book of poems in pursuit of these themes--the GALILEO POEMS.
Some are posted at my site: http://galileosdilemma.blogspot.com or you can email me at: grlscoutfinchatyahoodotcom
Would love your thoughts. I'll certainly be linking to you. What you've done here really does inspire, and more importantly, challenges me.
I hope to hear from you.
RD/y
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