parallax
featuring: native science symmetry & suppression
spring 2013
The Seed : letter from the editor
table of contents The Seed Native Science Space and Place Symmetry and Broken Symmetry Beauty Is Her Curse Imprisoned Mind: Symmetry & Suppression Magic The Flower
As final exams approach in May, we students spend our time stressing about studying, writing papers, and giving presentations. We tend to dread this time of year, leaving little to no room to actually reflect upon all the juicy or dry information we absorbed in the past few months; rather we mechanically go about our finals to merely get them done in time for the deadline. Essentially, this first edition of Parallax is a reflection of thoughts Aileen and I have collected throughout the semester from our physics class. Our intention is not to frantically ‘write another paper’ or ‘do another presentation.’ We want to further investigate some of the basic topics we covered in class by relating them to personal interests of ours. We want to take a fresh perspective and look at life through various angles-- maybe even upside down. In basic terms, parallax is the way things are viewed based on the position or location of the viewer. Thus, objects appear to differ when viewed from different positions, creating a new lens of sight. The main objective of Parallax is to explore people’s relationship with the space they inhabit; how does our relationship and interpretation of the universe impact the decisions we make and the way we chose to live our lives? Through space, native science, parallax, broken symmetry, and symmetry, this magazine will explore how all these elements are part of the substrative force that weave together the colorful patches of how different individuals live their lives. Through the analysis of nature, we can better understand how we, as miniature mani-
festations of the universe, behave depending on where we stand in space and time. The underlying theme to this edition is that physics is everywhere because we are active engagers of it. We are physics. Humans are not just foreign participants in an unknown environment but rather an extension of nature. To us, physics relates to everything because it is the way humans relate their tiny microcosmic selves to the grand and magical macrocosmic world. The following collection of articles reflects upon different topics in physics, yet each one of them is a reminder of the inseparable tie humans have with the universe. Whether we consider ourselves scientific, spiritual, or neither, each one of us has a direct relationship with the world we live in because we are not separate from it. In the end, we are made of stardust, right?
Leia Marasovich
Native Science Science has always been a fundamental factor in helping humans to understand, feel, objectify, and experience the grand universe they live in. However, science can be defined in various ways depending on the worldview and cultural context of the definer. Although the facts and information science provides us with can be universally understood, the process to which scientific discoveries occur is irregular. For example, the period of time and location of a scientific discovery contributes to the fluctuations of scientific knowledge. In native cultures science was an intrinsic and vital part of human survival where every member of society was an active participant in the unfolding of nature’s mysterious behaviors. However, western traditions today have a very different approach and relationship with understanding the phenomena of the universe; only certain individuals are designated scientists leaving the rest of us at a greater disconnect with nature. To the native peoples, science was like a story that explained the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of nature and the nature of things (Cajete 13). Although native science cannot be categorized as quantum physics or environmental science, it has still reached similar understandings about the workings of natural laws through hands-on experience and direct
participation with the natural world (Cajete 13). The native peoples depended on science as the storybook of the world and a guide on how to effectively live in it. To them, humans were included in this book; we are the microcosm of the macrocosm. Native science acts as the medium between the human community and the larger natural world, giving life meaning and purpose. It does not exclude rational thought, but rather includes “heart and being with rational perception to move beyond the surface understanding of a thing to a relationship that includes all aspect of one’s self” (Cajete 72). In other words, science was an experiential practice that honored the interrelationships and interconnectivities of the web of life. Native people viewed the world through many realms, including the tangible and intangible forces of nature. Knowledge was received through a multitude of realities, from the five senses to messages from medicinal plants such as ayuahasca (Cajete 178). Essentially, the ultimate goal of native science is not to explain an objectified universe but to learn and comprehend human’s responsibilities and relationships with their home. Today, science is what many people rely on for credible, factual, and reliable information. It tends to be a more distant field of study
Leia Marasovich
only for those who have dedicated their educational lives to it. Westerners tend to consider native science as folklores or myths which gives off the impression that indigenous knowledge is “unscientific” (Cajete 3). This comes from the idea that “cultural stories of origin are creative interpretations of the experience of a people in participation with places” which is not considered scientific proof (Cajete 75). Regardless of the dramatic changes in human’s interpretation of science, we have always and will continue to always search to answer the great and profound questions of life. Although western science may seem to follow very different patterns and methods as native science, both techniques lead us to the realization that humans have an unbreakable bond with the universe. The foundation of native science is “mitakuye oyasin” which translates to “we are all related” (Cajete 86). As long as we continue this constant contact with the universe, human civilization will adapt and progress in the unpredictable ebb and flow of nature’s cycles. However, as modern-day science heads in a direction that tends to distance individuals from this active participation with the natural world, serious implications could crystallize, affecting the way future generations behave, act, connect, and feel.
our place Interpreting the transendence of space to place.
in
When humans inhabit a space we transform it to appeal to our personal preferences. Whether we “deck it out” or leave it completely plain and empty, the way we organize and decorate a room tends to fit some aspect of our personality along with our interpretation of space and time. So, a personal place becomes a physical manifestation and symbolic extension of our human experiences, feelings, desires, and thoughts. In other words, an ambiguous location in space becomes an aesthetic place of familiarity once we give meaning and value to it through the connections we form with it. Thus, place is the transcendence of space because it is a concentrated center with history and meaning. The experiences we encounter through sensations, perceptions, and conception are the means to which we are able to know the world (Tuan 389). Places are separate functional nodes in the abyss of space, yet capitulate to the same processes of spatial analysis (Tuan 390). For example, through vision humans are able to manifest a reality that is defined by physical objects rather than an array of kaleidoscopic patterns. The difference between perceiving the world through physical and social realities is that physical reality is simply a location while social reality creates a sense of place.
space Leia Marasovich
Our rooms are a reflection of ourselves and we are a manifestation of the universe; essentially everything is interconnected. The way we organize the immediate space we create can symbolize the way we feel about and interact with the universe and vice versa. Through an intricate stream of links and connections, the way we comprehend the structures of earth’s mysteries can eventually be related to the way we design and organize our rooms. Some of us like order and symmetry, while others of us attract clutter and disorder: if we analyze the reasons and patterns for the way we inhabit our immediate space-- such as our rooms-- it may or may not help us to decipher our understanding of the great universe. This article is not providing a solution to how we should interpret space, nor is it confirming there is even a connection between our understanding of place and space. Rather, it aims to challenge you to analyze the spaces you inhabit and think critically how space affects you socially, emotionally, and physically. The next few pages are a series of interviews and photographs of various students’ dorm rooms at Soka University of America. Even though all of the following rooms are in the same general location, each individual has harbored a different portrayal of order and chaos through the place they temporarily call home.
Sarah.
Do you like to personalize a space and make it yours when you first inhabit it? Yes, absolutely. Do you consider your room an important place? Why or why not? Yes because its where I do most of my work and where I start and end my day, so all my profound and not-so profound thoughts happen here. It’s where I feel refreshed and where I feel trapped. Regardless of how I feel, it is an important place. Does the cleanliness/organization of your room influence your mood or productivity? That’s a good question. I can still function when my room is dirty but I feel like I can move forward faster once I’ve cleaned. What are some of the influences to the way you organized and designed your room? I looked for inspiration online. I like shabby-chic. Explain your thoughts on the relationship between earth and the universe/space. I think we ascribe meaning to everything, so without our existance there is no meaning. Earth is the center to my universe because there is no center, so if we are sascribing meaning we are the center. We can’t escape that.
The feel I got: Warm Eclectic Crafty
5
4
Do you like to personalize a space and make it yours when you first inhabit it? Depending on the situation, but as far as my own room, yes. On a typical weekday, how many hours do you spend in your room? Throughout the day, not spent asleep, probably three + hours. Do you consider your room an important place? Why or why not? Yes, I consider my room a place of comfort, of safety. Does the cleanliness/organization of your room influence your mood or productivity? Yes. I find my physical space reflects/manifest my mental space and vice versa. What are some of the influences to the way you organized and de
The feel I got: Comfortable Homy Cozy Warm Earthy signed your room? I guess the way I feel about a certain space. Past experiences (how I have set my room up in the past), as well as seeing how others inhabit their own spaces. Explain your thoughts on the relationship between earth and the universe/space. We are a tiny, tiny, tiny spectable of a huge gigantic wholeness. Is there a way to separate the two? Space is what we inhabit, and space is dependent on celestial bodies to define itself. Space and Earth inter-are.
Ben.
Do you like to personalize a space and make it yours when you first inhabit it? Of course. If it’s my personal space, I have to make it mine some way. Do you consider your room an important place? Why or why not? Yes. It’s my sanctuary away from all the issues going on in the world that SUA kind of has its students set out to fix. It’s a moment away from all of it and a break for my well-being to relax and have its own space. Plus it’s where I sleep, I need to be relaxing in order for me to sleep at night or I will stay awake with anticipation and worry. Does the cleanliness/organization of your room influence your mood or productivity? I think the condition my room is a consequence of the time in my life I am in. So as the week progresses, the messier it gets. But I dont think it affects the mood or productivity, the only thing that does that is the people that walk in or out of my room and the mood that they bring in.. What are some of the influences to the way you organized and designed your room? There aren’t really any names I can give you, the only thing that influenced what went where was the white wall vs cinderblock wall. So where I could hang things with tape or thumbtacks (such as art-
work and calendars and such) I used the white wall and then furniture went up against cinderblocked walls and I dont like blank walls so I tried to use whatI had to cover up as much wall as I could. Explain your thoughts on the relationship between earth and the universe/space. I think that earth is only a small fraction of what is out there in space. may it be a multiverse or heaven and all or whatever you may believe in, there’s something more than whats going on out here. I like to think theres more universes out there.
Natalie. The feel I got: Simple Open
5
The feel I got: Passionate Encouraging Full
1 Derringer. or 5
Do you like to personalize a space and make it yours when you first inhabit it? Not really. In my own weird way, aesthetics are important, but not with regards to decoration or making a space feel like “home”. In my mind the absence of decoration can be aesthetically pleasing. On a typical weekday, how many hours do you spend in your room? 6 Do you consider your room an important place? Why or why not? Yes. I need a space that is quiet and private. Does the cleanliness/organization of your room influence your mood or productivity? Yes. Doesn’t have to be spotless, but too much clutter isn’t conducive to productivity. What are some of the influences to the way you organized and designed your room? Function and simplicity. Explain your thoughts on the relationship between earth and the universe/space. Earth and the Universe are the same “shape”. I think they are fractal reflections of each other, unified and entangled. That’s a really deep question. Easy answer: all is one.
symmetry “It is the harmony of the diverse parts, their symmetry, their happy balance; in a word it is all that introduces order, all that gives unity, that permits us to see clearly and to comprehend at once both the ensemble and the details.”
Henri Ponicare
b r o k e n
s y m m e t r y
“If you look at music, you see theme, variation, you see symmetry, asymmetry, you see structure, and these are related to skills in the real world.”
Dave Van Ronk
The most elegant aspect of nature is symmetry and asymmetry.
“The univers e is asymme tric and I am that life, as it persuaded is known to us, is a direc the asymme t result of try of the un iverse or of consequence it s indirect s. The unive rs e is a sy m metric. Louis Paste ur
Beauty was always something to love or hate. To be too beautiful meant enduring the constant burden of having to navigate through many men’s thirst for a woman’s inner diamonds. A woman’s body tends to be sexually commodified, especially when she fits the ‘societal standards’ of beauty. Witnessing this, I never wanted to be beautiful. Beauty was the inherited curse of being a woman. Despite my scorned heart caused by others’ perception of my outwardly appearances, I am still influenced by beauty. We are all surrounded by beauty and have an affinity for its many forms. In fact, as humans we seem to live for beauty in both its obvious and unseen characteristics. What I find most interesting is hidden beauty. In our physics class, the reoccurring theme that was most apparent to me was the interplay of beauty, symmetry, and broken symmetry. From this idea, I relate the scientific concepts discussed in class to the hidden ways in
Beauty is
which beauty and symmetry are inextricably a part of our lives. What is beauty and how does it tie to physics? In what ways does beauty play a role in our lives, decisions, and thought patterns?
We see beauty constantly, whether in its outwardly physical form or in the intangible aspects of it. Beauty in the form of symmetry is in art, architecture, music, math, physics, nature, people, birds, insects, and flowers. Many thinkers, mathematicians, and scientists find solace in symmetry, both today and in our past. We continually look for hidden symmetries in the processes of
nature because symmetry imparts a sense of permanence and timelessness. The need to find order in life using the principles of symmetry has led to many new and powerful laws of physics. For example, Newton’s unifying laws of motion were derived from his discomfort with the idea that there was asymmetry between heavenly and earthly motion (Padamsee 2003). Progress in science is due to the interplay of symmetry and broken symmetry: they are complimentary aspects of life. In fact, you cannot even utter the words broken symmetry without recognizing the existence of symmetry. One of the most elegant aspects of nature is symmetry. One reason for this association is the idea of completeness or wholeness that symmetry represents. Consequently, with this logic, an apparent lack of symmetry in nature misleads us to correlate broken symmetry with incompleteness. Ultimately, humans’ struggle to resolve the asymmetry and disorder present in nature and the heavens fuels peoples’ desire to constantly organize the universe. This causes us to feel discomfort with the idea of a
disordered cosmos. For example, Pythagoras attached himself to the idea that nature is beautifully ordered and governed by simple and elegant principles. We remember Pythagoras best for his discovery of the famous theorem for right triangles. From this magnificent discovery, he also searched to understand the cosmos. He believed that scientific understanding of nature must always incorporate mathematical descriptions (Padamsee 2003). Therefore, he imagined a spherical heaven, the representation of perfection. He deduced that the earth must be a sphere and that heavenly bodies are also spherical and move in perfect circles. But Pythagoras could not find a working model of the solar system because his conceived notion of the heavens was limited to his rigid understanding of mathematical symmetry. Pythagoras’ hunt for beauty and perfection led to his discovery of the theorem for right triangles that we still use today. However, his fixed quest also kept him from understanding the movement of heavenly bodies. The idea that nature was
governed by simple and pleasing principles was the instinctive assumption that past scientists relied on in order to make sense out of the chaotic universe they were attempting to unveil. And in many ways, physicists today are still deeply influenced by the desire to unify our understanding of the functioning of the universe. History seems to reveal
that we have an affinity for the beauty, comfort, and completeness that can be found in symmetry. Alongside the comfort we find in order and beauty, dissonance and violation of symmetry are also an inescapable function of nature. A world filled with perfection would be boring and
her curse
without charm. If perfection was the everyday norm, its beauty would be less appetizing. Physics, along with our personal lives, are flooded with constant waves of change. Chaotic multiplicity and change are commonly found in life and science, while unifying order seems most hard to find. It is the improbability of discovering symmetry and order in nature that makes symmetry so beautiful. Beauty and symmetry make our understanding of nature simpler, yet not simplistic. It is the elegance and order of symmetry that drives us. Symmetry is the indispensable notion we use to organize and, therefore, simplify an otherwise bewildering array of phenomena. The curse of hidden beauty and unifying symmetry is that we can never seem to fully find it. We have yet to unify the two most powerful understandings of physics today. The next new break through will be the unification of quantum physics (micro level) and relativity (macro level). Maybe beauty is not only in the unification of our understandings of science, but also in the beauty of the chase: the chase for beauty and the chase to find symmetry.
Aileen Mokuria
Aileen Mokuria
IMPRISONED MIND
symmetry and suppression
In searching for explanations of phenomena, we are more inclined to accept the simpler explanation rather than the one involving multiple effects/causes. We are attracted to choose the simplest possible theory. However, when we seek one unifying truth or explanation, the “truth” reveals itself like a horizon, filled with many possibilities and many truths. The most fundamental definition of symmetry suggests that when something changes something remains the same. When I apply that definition to objects it is easier for me to understand the definition of symmetry. A ball that is green is symmetrical when, if I turn it (change its position), it remains a sphere and is still green. Something changed, but something remained the same. But how can we apply this to our own lives? Throughout the semester, Phat Vu was constantly probing us to dig deeper. He was like a sage of physics. The abstract aspects of thoughts and answers were his realm, and it was my duty to learn how to refine my thinking. I spent many days thinking about my life and aspects of my experience that could be tied to symmetry and broken symmetry, and then one day I engaged in a deep conversation with a friend from back home, who I had not spoken to in years. Since many of my friends are graduating this year, it became apparent how many are NOT graduating. I asked my friend, who we will call DJ, how he was doing. He responded saying that his life consisted of “COLLEGE, MUSIC, & MONEY!” When I expressed my happiness to hear that he was in college he said “yea... Just glad I’m still in the college realm & haven’t quit! You know where I come from and we don’t make it out.” We don’t make it out. Those words penetrated my thoughts.
What is life like where I come from? I grew up in the city. My father died when I was one year old, which left my mother alone to raise her two daughters. She did an impeccable job raising us humbly. In fact, I would be considered spoiled based on how well she raised me. I always had food when I was hungry, clean clothes to wear, a relatively safe place to live, and my own bed to sleep in. Outside of the oasis filled with love provided to me by my mother, some may say that my school environment was in the “hood.” I went to inner-city schools, in which the majority of us were people of color and lower to middle class. As my friend DJ described, many don’t make it, not just in college, but in life. People get killed, locked up in jail, or stuck in poverty, and just like DJ, many people from where I am from find themselves trapped in a suppressive environment. A few days later, I was talking to two of my friends from Los Angeles who were sharing their stories of triumph and transformation. One of my friends had been “locked-up” four times and participated in terrible things that remained unspoken, but due to a near-death experience he realized he had two choices, die or change. He chose change. As we discussed the different trials and tribulations of being from a subjugated community, one of my friends asked why I think so many young men join gangs from the various places we grew up in. My immediate answer was stability. The enticing stability that the gang provides is what makes people want to join. Suddenly, the definition of symmetry that Phat Vu shared with me popped in my head; as something changes, something remains the same. Although my friends
were all born in different places, what remained the same were the problems they experienced due to the influence of gang lifestyle and mentality. Even if the stories of inequality varied, the underlying theme was a life filled with instability. For example, to a young boy who suffers from an instable lifestyle, whether due to having to move from place to place, being around a lot of fighting, or exposed to drugs, the one unifying aspect is the stability provided by gangs. With a gang, you join another family and you get money. You bring order to your life that is filled with disorder, and the order and the stability that the gang brings outweighs any deterrence due to the violence that comes with it. Of course the order and stability are a short lived façade, but regardless, order brings us wholeness in the midst of chaos. However, just as Pythagoras became limited by his search for beauty and perfection based on a specific pattern (planets moving in circles), so are many young people that have been led to think that fast money is the perfect life because it brings stability. The loyalty to a specific way of doing things or thinking due to set patterns is what leads us to not see other “truths” or realities. My inability to adapt to Soka for two years was due to my inability to navigate a new reality. I was conservative in my thinking. I did not understand that I was limiting myself by always processing things in terms of right or wrong. In deepening my understanding of physics and reflecting on my life, it seems that the one consistent aspect of life is change, so as I grew older and wiser, I realized that we are the ones that limit ourselves when we are devoted to one truth or one reality. The biggest lesson I learned was that I was my biggest suppressor. Growing up in a suppressive environment taught me that if I don’t feel, I don’t get hurt. Not being hurt is good in all, but I realized that I was more tired of not feeling than not hurting. By trying to understand symmetry and physics, I also began to learn about aspects of my past that influence the way I process information. As I graduate Soka and start a new chapter of my life, I am proud to say that I have begun the journey to appreciate the beauty of multiplicity of thought and understanding. The beauty of my new thought pattern is that I am the only one who can limit myself and I am the only one who can then free myself of those limits. Life is filled with changes, but I have learned to hold true to the fact that growth takes time and what is most important is that we try. As something changes, something remains the same. As life is filled with change, what remains the same is my refusal to continue to suppress and limit myself. The beauty of symmetry in my experience is growth.
"With a gang, you join another family and you get money."
es a e c p truimph
poverty
wholeness
change
growth
patterns
reality
The beauty of symmetry isn my life chaosexperience is growth.
freedom
suppression
Leia Marasovich
ma c gi One of the first days of class my professor, Phat Vu, exclaimed how everything is magic; a microwave heating up food, talking on a cell phone, etc. This had been my personal philosophy and I couldn’t be more enthralled to hear a well-respected physics professor saying the same. When we recognize the mystery of the planet’s magic, we are able to expand our preconstructed ideas of what’s possible, as we completely cut the chains of the order and notions of society. Every day I am seeing more and more how I too am a creature of magic and if I live in tune with this dimension that is beyond vision, things will flow with ease and ultimately take care of me. So, recognizing that magic is the backbone to all that is, lets utilize it and trust it to liberate ourselves from this life that was
gifted to us. We don’t have to understand the science behind everything, nor will we ever be able to. The world is grand and immense and I believe its mystery to how it functions is something we should strive to understand only to the extent that will help us live more harmoniously with it. I have no problem with scientists making new profound discoveries; science has probably helped as many lives as it has destroyed. Although science can give us a detailed description of how and why something happens through a language of numbers and symbols, I don’t believe humans could ever comprehend through science 100% of the invisible, complex, and ambiguous dimensions the world entails. I am completely content with labeling all those phenomena as magic. I consider even the simplest of things
magic; how do the signals in our stomach tell our brain to put food in our mouth? How does tapping on a drum make a sound we can hear and feel? Magic is the process that occurs between the cause and the effect. It is the everyday actions we partake in that we can’t even begin to decipher. The mystery of the universe is the foundation to which we live. We feed off of its energy to function and survive, yet we know nearly nothing about it. With knowing so little, precisely 5%, we seem to be doing alright. As long as I continue trusting the magic and dancing in a creative participation with the universe, I know things will continue unfolding and evolving into a beautifully organized chaos.
Leia Marasovich
The flower : letter from the editor
Aileen Mokuria
From the seed we planted on the first page, we hope your mind was able to expand and grow through the subsequent articles. Our intention was not to merely provide you with facts or concrete concepts, but rather propose more abstract ideas that would stimulate your mind to blossom like a magnificent flower filled with inspiration, new perspectives, and fresh ideas. As described earlier, parallax describes an apparent change of position: objects appear to differ when viewed from different positions. As the semester comes to a close, Leia and I hope that you enter finals week with new insights that can come by changing something as simple as your place in space. Throughout our time in physics class, we spent much time reflecting the concepts we learned and applying those new insights to our own lives. This first edition of Parallax aimed to juggle the following idea: the more we realize the infinite possibilities of nature’s phenomena, the greater trust we have in surrendering to its magic.
Whether we recognize it or not, science has always been a fundamental tool to help humans comprehend and experience the heavens and earth that we are part of. As native people say, everything is related, which forms our unbreakable bond with nature. The modern day habit of separating only certain individuals as acclaimed scientist or “experts” has hampered our ability to trust our own thoughts, strengths, and potential for a higher consciousness. There is great value that comes from the different ways people acquire and process information, and we hope that after reading this first edition you will be innovative in creating a mold that fits you. Knowledge can be received through a multitude of realities and perspectives. So many profound discoveries and advancements in our knowledge have been found through the interplay of beauty, symmetry, and broken symmetry. As Leia explored, peoples’ rooms were a reflection of their different experiences and social realities. Some people like order and symmetry, while others are attracted to the beauty of clutter and disorder. Symmetry and the violation of symmetry are an inescapable function of nature and our lives. Thus, loyalty to a specific way of doing things or thinking in terms of set patterns is what prevents us from recognizing other “truths” or realities. In our exploration of various topics relating to Native science, space and place, beauty and symmetry, and personal reflections, we recognized our ability to expand our understanding of nature, the universe, and our human experiences. As we challenged the standard realms in which humans typically process information, we opened our eyes to the magic in our surroundings. We hope you enjoyed reading our first edition as much as we enjoyed making it. And remember to open your heart and eyes to the beauty that surrounds you.
References Cajete, Gregory. Native science: natural laws of interdependence. Santa Fe, N.M.: Clear Light Publishers, 2000. Print. Padamsee, Hasan. Unifying the universe: the physics of heaven and earth. Bristol: IOP, 2003. Print. Tuan, Yi. Space and place: the perspective of experience. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1977. Print.