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04.30.08
Some truths are in a way ugly, some falsehoods are in a way beautiful. It is only a certain type of beauty that matches perfectly with truth, but there is such a beauty. That sort of beauty, though, is what we scientists are about.
This was captured very nicely (hat tip to John Fleck) in a recent blog entry by geologist Kim Hannula.
I'll also take note that other scientists have pondered the meaning of Keats' observation.
Beauty and truth, I think, aren't really perfectly the same, and Keats isn't quite right. It's a lovely thought, though.
Beauty and Truth
by
In real life I have no pets, but in my dreams I sometimes have two big, strong, elegant and fierce twin black dogs called "Beauty" and "Truth". Is there a tension between them or are they perfectly alike? I think this dream theme refers to the poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats:
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,"--that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.I think the thought partakes more of beauty than of truth. In my dreams there is sometimes a risk of paying too much attention to one of the dogs and having to face a threat of violent retaliation from the other.
Some truths are in a way ugly, some falsehoods are in a way beautiful. It is only a certain type of beauty that matches perfectly with truth, but there is such a beauty. That sort of beauty, though, is what we scientists are about.
This was captured very nicely (hat tip to John Fleck) in a recent blog entry by geologist Kim Hannula.
I'll also take note that other scientists have pondered the meaning of Keats' observation.
Beauty and truth, I think, aren't really perfectly the same, and Keats isn't quite right. It's a lovely thought, though.
Tags: beauty, geology, mathematics, truth
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