Monday, May 30, 2011

Mathematical Prose


The 2004 image above is a mapping of Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy and addresses the mechanics of changing spiritual belief. Cognitive Behavioral Science is a great example of this process. I admit that the above work is a rough outline and needs more detail for one to fully grasp what I am pointing at. I plan to use this as a template for other work in the future with more detail.

I think a lot of what is on this blog might be considered mathematical prose (as well as the work displayed above) - it is certainly worth thinking about. On that thought - John Sims pointed me at the following link (here). The following quote came from mentioned link and I think it fits in well with this blog.

Quote:
"Another way we might think about potential literature is via an analogy with potential and kinetic energy. If potential energy is stored in an object, then we might say that potential literature is embedded within a language. In the first case, the field of gravity would determine an object’s potential energy; in the case of literature, the field of memory would determine a work’s potentiality. Pushing the analogy further, we can compare the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy to the conversion of potential literature into real texts. In physics, that conversion is expressed through motion, in literature it is expressed through two related ludic activities, both of them realized at the level of the letter: the crafts of writing and reading with volition."

The quote speaks primarily of Oulipo however I think it can be said of many forms of experimental writing. While I am happy that Ouilpo has so much interest, I am a bit envious due to be believing that there could be a lot more experimentation with "Substitution in Mathematical Poetry" as well. While both are forms of experimental writing the approach language very differently even though I see both being rooted in formal science.

See "Disappearing Context" to add clarity to the images below.

Two similar triangles poems solved for money.


The two equations are set equal to each other


Visit the National Gallery of Writing