[Borges]

I'd be curious to hear what the Scientific community here thinks about things like the Golden Mean and Mandelbrot sets. Reoccurring patterns throughout nature.

[RadioAstronomer]

I'd be curious to hear what the Scientific community here thinks about things like the Golden Mean and Mandelbrot sets. Reoccurring patterns throughout nature.

Will answer this evening. :-)

[SeaLion]

I'd be curious to hear what the Scientific community here thinks about things like the Golden Mean and Mandelbrot sets. Reoccurring patterns throughout nature.

I don't count as a member of any sort of 'scientific community'--I'm a layman who never really 'got it' with calculus. But you've raised an interesting point, I'd be interested in some reflections as well. I do know that among some early Greek philosophers, such as Pythagoras, numbers seemed embued with all kinds of 'arcane' and supernatural powers. All ultimately hooey, of course--but a good illustration of the power of 'awe' on our minds, our need to find patterns (even if in the fleeting shapes of clouds).

And dare I suggest (I'm grimacing as I type this bit), that even the most 'hardened' Darwinist (and these days, I'm probably not too far off from such) can experience a sense of wonder, delight, and indeed reverence in the face of the splendid complexities of the natural world?

Or is that just some dreadful bit of wet quasi-hippy drivel I've just spouted?