Studying the mathematical and philosophical concept of Phi, the notion of a "divine" ratio, has lended to a consideration of the motivation of history's greatest thinkers contrasted against the canvas of my worldview. The evolution of the pursuit of wisdom through channels of reason, science and math is a dizzying and fascinating journey that seems to lead all who have endeavored to one of two notions.
The human brain seems to universally subscribe to the notion of order (of one form or another). However, it is here where the two roads seem to split. One leading towards a world that subscribes to the notion of a created order, and the other road towards a world where order would seem to be a product of process that was set in motion by a perfectly random sequence of events.
I am ill equipped to speak to the pilgrims wandering the latter road. Sufficed to say, however, I am greatly intrigued by some of the common experiences and findings. One of which is in the realm of math and is called Phi.
Most are not aware of this discovery made (we think) by Euclid, but everyone has a notion of how it is manifested in nature and by the human mind. The ratio mathematically provides a perfect balance that we find in nature when looking a the spirals of a snail shell or the seemingly perfect symmetry of a starfish. We also see Phi at work in the engineering of the Pyramids in Egypt and the seemingly perfect symmetry of the Parthenon. Further studies demonstrate that Phi is achieved when you do God's math on the instructions he delivered to Noah when building the Arc, and ironically enough, Phi is the ratio used to draw a perfect pagan pentagram.
Pythagoras used it to develop his theorem as well as his own religion which (at least in part) seemed to be secretly devoted to proving the existence of the gods through math. If you know your history then the rest becomes a logical process to how we got here. Pythagoras was a contemporary of Gautama as well as Zoroaster. The mysticism mixed with intellectual pursuit created an intoxicating notion that we could "play" on the same courts as our deity....which today has evolved into the notion that we have advanced to becoming the captain of our deity of choices' teams. And, in some of the "pick-up" games of life, we can elect not to choose that deity if they do not suit our purposes.
Back to the two roads. The best that I can draw from all of this is that there is an infinite quality to the notion of Phi. If that be true than something equally as infinite had to devise it....and then plant the notion in the human soul. Music, structural engineering, photography and art are all examples of the human's intuitive proclivity to this "divine proportion". Yet, we are not infinite, and therefore if the universe were indeed a random thing....which science has proved to be building towards collapse, then we would no more be drawn to the harmony and balance of phi in music as we would be drawn to that which we hear in the random decofinization found in the moments before a symphony begins as the virtuosos all tune-up their instruments free and independent of one another....without order.
Furthermore, it appears that this divine proportion's practical manifestations are universally conforming to every major world religion....therefore insinuating that God "is", in spite of our differences in philosophies.
All things to consider when pondering the rather large questions of existence and humanity's corporate footprint...not to mention yours and mine.
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