Photo by Emily O'Dell
Photo by EOD
Geometry enlightens the intellect and sets one’s mind right. All its proofs are very clear and orderly. It is hardly possible for errors to enter into geometric reasoning, because it is well arranged and orderly. Thus, the mind that constantly applies itself to geometry is unlikely to fall into error… — Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406)
At dusk, while sitting in the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, I tried capturing the geometric designs on the mihrab and pillars, though the lights had just been dimmed. Someone more skilled in geometry than I might explain how fractal geometry has long been incorporated into mosque design–but I’m content to just admire the beauty of the intricate patterns, without really having an understanding of how they all work…
