Adrian Bejan I Diversity, Bismarck & Civilization, from Design in Nature
In this video, Adrian Bejan discusses the concept of design in nature, exploring the configurations of systems that can move and evolve. He emphasizes the importance of diversity and innovation, linking it to historical references such as Bismarck's perspective on politics and how it reflects the desire to improve systems. He advocates for understanding designs' essence, evolution, and impact on civilization.
Design in Nature
Bejan introduces the concept of design in nature as the configurations of things that move, explaining that this concept covers everything in existence and correlates with evolution and design improvement.
Importance of Diversity
He discusses how variations in designs lead to diversity and presents this diversity as vital for progress, emphasizing that the essence of successful designs lies in their ability to adapt and improve.
Bismarck and Political Art
Referencing Otto von Bismarck, Bejan connects the concept of engineering designs to politics, suggesting that just as Bismarck worked to unify Germany, engineers strive to innovate and refine their designs for better functionality.
Politics as Civilization
Bejan challenges negative perceptions of politics by linking it to civilization, stating that politics historically represented the management and improvement of communities, akin to engineering.
Evolutionary Design
He highlights the role of engineers as constant innovators who seek to improve things. Bejan describes this as 'evolutionary design'—a relentless pursuit of improvement in system configurations.
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Umit Gunes, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof., Yildiz Technical University
umitgunes.com