Committee on Design

I am embarrassed by the number of revisions as I continue to ponder Mr. Farris' comment, since the subconscious has a mind of its own. This is my last post on this topic on this web site. Any further revisions will only be posted on my Google blog, "Cities and Design".  

Inspiration and logic stimulate the search for documented knowledge that can be memorized. The accumulation of knowledge stimulates further inspiration and logic. Knowledge becomes a foundation for the debate and defense of ideas. As the circle expands, it continues to threaten the logic of opinion with the risk of change. We call it adaptation when successful, and it begins with land that is a gift we do not own.  

Insight and talent produce fine art with the logic of opinion and ability that is mistaken for the logic of knowledge. Insight is priceless, but it remains isolated until inspiration and logic produce knowledge that can duplicate success. Insight based on the logic of opinion is too easily challenged by the opposition; and public debate, persuasion and benefit are compromised by inadequate defense. We should be thankful for this fact, because the gift of logic has eventually overcome misguided opinion to produce knowledge throughout history. Some of its more notable successes include the reversal of human sacrifice as a solution; the reversal of flat Earth theories; the reduction of witch trials and inquisitions; the reversal of false criminal convictions; and the introduction of scientific methods.  

In many ways, our history represents cooperation and conflict between the logic of opinion and the logic of knowledge, with events recorded by the insight of exceptional fine art.
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Walter Hosack
Author
Walter M. Hosack
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I'm more than a little amused at how you dive into pedantic definitions of the universe with such gusto and presumptive certainty, almost like you were reciting back the Da Vinci Code. I think you over-objectify everything to the point of it being almost medieval and absolute. For example, it's pretty hilarious that you would use the lack of witches being burned at the stake as evidence of intellectual progression. That one had me literally in stitches. It certainly doesn't explain all of the major genocides that occurred in the following centuries. To me these arguments are way too tidy, neat, and simplistic to be truly definitive. I think it turns your logic into a paralepsis when you reach so far out to make a point.

Then there's the old Howard Zinn point I could make about an air of presumed objectivity that you seem to take towards history. It can be seen in the smallest of details of your expressions. For example, you recently began an article with the words:
"Vitruvius felt . . . . "
Now we can just stop right there and ask ourselves, do you honestly know how Vitruvius felt about anything? That's a pretty bold statement already, and we aren't even to the predicate yet. I don't know about you, but I don't even know how my own parents felt 60 years ago, much less a figure from 2000 years back. Most men can't even tell you how their wife feels today.

I just think the style of your expression of logic says a whole lot about your logic. When you over-reach to Vitruvius, or the cave man, or whatever grandiose vision you propose to explain the universe, I think it lands you in quicksand, whole paragraphs at a time. For example, are you honestly happy with this one?

"Artistic insight produces opinion and ability mistaken for logic."

Dude! Seriously? That one leaves me speechless. I don't think the meaning even matters anymore because those words just look so extremely unhappy together. Let's see what happens if I move those words around, just for fun. Heck, it's Labor Day, I need to amuse myself for a bit.

Logical insight produces art and opinion mistaken for ability.
Logical opinion produces ability and art mistaken for insight.
Artistic opinion mistaken for insight produces ability and logic.
Insightful logic mistaken for art and ability produces opinion.
Opinionated insight produces logic and art mistaken for ability.

I think I like the last one best. But personally, I would not hook that thing up to life support.

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Rich Farris, AIA
Architect
Dallas, Texas
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