Twenty-Nine: Rambling World (08-18-2022)
It's simply unbelievable that water evaporates. Seriously- a cup sitting at room temperature or even lower will just float into the air? And then in the air, way up in the sky where it's even colder, it'll suddenly turn back into water and fall? There's no way. I don't mean to suggest that I've devised an alternative to the phenomenon of evaporation, but it simply violates every measure of common sense to suggest that water, when not boiling, will evaporate into the air. If this was the case, wouldn't a glass of whiskey, with an alcohol content of forty percent, with alcohol having a lower boiling point than water, lose its alcohol content rapidly when left out? Obviously this is not the case, and therefore the fact that on a hot, dry day, a glass of water will empty itself into the ether within a few hours can only be seen as an act of god or process outside of human understanding.
There is a multitude of "scientific" truths that are within this realm of violating all common sense, and yet still are circulated as infallible. Imaginary numbers is a fantastic example, as well as the physics practice of replacing empty spaces in understanding with "dark forces" and "dark matter". The "hard" sciences, so called for their empirically robust construction, often resort to unbelievably complex processes to explain what should be reduced no further than "ain't that neat". A glass of water disappearing into the air is not the result of evaporation but the lucky happenstance of a beautiful tapestry that is the natural world.
Human need to explain everything, to pursue a perfect truth, has led a lot of historical dorks to produce mathematics and physics that pushes the boundaries of the human brain, now reaching a point where it can only be understood conceptually or abstractly, with the details and calculations exported to massive computers and equally incomprehensible machine algorithms. The physical and social product of these powerful devices can only be said to be immensely destructive. Science's pursuit of objective truth resulted in standardization, industrial revolution, and technological ubiquity that has only increased human suffering and exploitation.
The forces of industry and the tides of development seem to act outside of human free will. Take, for instance, the construction of a skyscraper. Most skyscrapers are not proposed to be built by a single person, although some are, but all require the cooperation of many thousands of people through feasibility, design, development, construction, sales, maintenance, and ownership. When a skyscraper is proposed to be built, it is often the result of a multi-year analysis of market conditions and business needs, not involving any parties beyond those analyzing conditions. Designers, community members, and financiers appear after the need for a skyscraper is identified. Identified, not envisioned.
Any one person in the process of constructing a skyscraper likely does not place much emotional stake in its construction. Financiers, unless putting up their own personal wealth, have no emotional stake except that which is tied tangentially to their moneys. Designers may have a professional interest in seeing their creative efforts bear fruit, but did not produce the skyscraper's design for its existence's sake, but in response to the needs of the developer, financier, and site, and therefore their efforts are a calculated business move rather than a personal artistic expression. The further musings of architects regarding their ability to enact their personal vision onto the built world past or in spite of design briefs is an issue for another time.
To conclude, once again, technology is a force outside of human control, but is produced by humanity's hubris-fueled pursuit of rational truths, an effort rooted in vanity and solved by humility and satisfaction with the mystical nature of the larger world, or whatever.