This semesters VO “TALK” will focus on mathematical thinking. Many people believe that in mathematics, one follows only rules, mechanically and with no deliberation. In many ways this is true, of course.
It is the invariant and explicit part with regard to mathematical concepts that an architect self-evidently meets daily in her work – such as ‘form,’ ‘rule,’ ‘structure,’ ‘number,’ ‘field,’ ‘group,’ ‘set,’ ‘system’, ‘type,’ ‘proportion’, ‘volume’, ‘area,’ or ‘power’. But at the same time mathematical concepts have a history and are part of sociocultural contexts. We will put special attention also to this philosophical and inventive part that belongs to mathematics too.
Having an awareness of this sociocultural scope of deliberation that mathematical thinking provides is a basic literacy highly relevant with regard to the capacities of thinking abstractly. It is as relevant for the kind of abstract thinking in which every architect needs to be proficient as being able to master basic grammar or basic arithmetics is with regard to dialectical thinking in general.
This course will be co-taught by Elias Zafiris, a theoretical physicist and professor in mathematics and logics, and Vera Bühlmann, professor for architecture theory and philosophy of technics.
ORGANIZATION PLAN AND EXAM
The semester will be structured in eleven meetings ending before Christmas break: An introductory meeting and five thematic modules, each two sessions. Attending the sessions is mandatory, the lectures will be the subject of the exam after Christmas.
0. Introduction // 10. October 2018
1. Module – Cosmos, Earth and Firmament (Arithmetic) // 17. October & 24. October
2. Module – Observatory, Measure and Treasure (Geometry) // 31. October & 7. November
3. Module – Mechanae, Art and Techné (Algebra) // 14. November & 21. November
4. Module – Agriculture, Knots and Fields (Topology) // 28. November & 5. December
5. Module – Meteora, Cycles and Aion (Analysis and Synthesis) // 12. December & 19. December
