Photograph Works

How Is The Randomness Determined?

Iris
white foxgloves

I know it seems an odd question to ask how randomness is determined. But the red spots on the white foxgloves are different in one flower to another, from one plant to another.

And there must be something that rules the randomness in the pattern.

Or perhaps it is not random at all? Perhaps the particular location of that flower relative to the plants and trees around it, the position of the sun, and who know what else, might all come together in that particular pattern.

But if it is not that, and it is just a release of the reins of control – then how does that arrangement happen?

leaves

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Comments

12 responses to “How Is The Randomness Determined?”

  1. reb

    That’s deep! I’m not sure whether there IS any randomness, but what determines it?! … my spontaneous answer would be G-d.

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    1. David Bennett

      Yes, I deliberately left God out of the picture. Did I ever mention my theory of the Universe (with God in the picture)? I have this image in my mind’s eye of some scientist making a breakthrough in science. Let’s say it was when they first discovered the atom. They have a theory that there are atoms and they look in their equipment to confirm the theory experimentally. Of course, in God’s world, he/she didn’t need atoms until now. But he/she can’t have scientists looking inside material and saying ‘There’s nothing there!!!’, so he/she scrambles around the back (well, not really scrambling, more like ambling) and puts all the atoms in place for the scientists to find. And so on…

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      1. reb

        Love that image … makes me think of all the guys at CERN. I have thought a bit along those lines too, but as if he/she ‘allows us’ [since our minds are limited] a little at the time. In any event; I certainly don’t have any problem with science vs. faith. Francis Collins was very inspiring.

        Would’ve been interesting to hear Fibonacci’s take on randomness LOL

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        1. David Bennett

          I’ll have to look up Francis Collins – then continue this.

          Yes – Fibonacci – what would he say – chance interferences in the pattern at a micro level sending the pattern off in new directions?

          Liked by 2 people

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          1. Deb Weyrich-Cody

            Hmm… Yes, “interferences…” Aren’t there so just many more combinations and permutations now than there used to be… along with us and our clumsy, presumptive, blundering around… *sigh*. Pompous Idiots…

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          2. David Bennett

            Francis Collins – the man who led the human genome project. Do you have a personal connection with him?

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  2. Tamara

    As I said when we saw these flowers yesterday – well, therein lies the mystery of the universe, be it in the hands of a higher power, God, science, randomness, whatever we humans conceive of to try and figure it out.

    Maybe its beauty doesn’t need to be analyzed, but rather it just is what it is.

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  3. estherhecht

    The images are so beautiful that I am enjoying them for themselves.

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  4. Deb Weyrich-Cody

    Randomness in the pattern… Well, how about this suggestion David? You’re on the road, driving your car and there are many, slightly different parts of the roadway you can drive on, yet still remain within the confines of “your own” lane… Now imagine that we’re examining species or “normal” development in the same way – as long as there’s no “cancerous” (abnormal, uncontrolled) growth – then all is well… All take slightly different paths, but yet are still staying within the lanes…

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    1. Deb Weyrich-Cody

      Apparently Chaotic, and yet not really. Look at the “randomness” of DNA, the logical progression from the combination of two singular cells onward; with more and more, increasingly complicated series from plankton to mammalian… Do you see the beautiful, logical progression of “chaos”? (Fibonacci Rocks!: )
      We “Can’t see the forest for the trees!” as GranMa used to say…

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      1. David Bennett

        If one had eyes to see, on could look at a grain of salt and read out the whole universe. All locked in place, no randomness at all. That’s how it seems to me.

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        1. Deb Weyrich-Cody

          Ah well, lol; there could never be the slightest doubt about salt, could there?: )

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