Wheels, part deux

When I spoke of diversity as life, I was speaking on a level much larger than the individual, or even the community/species - thus the ecosystem example.  To borrow from Quinn again, take for instance a system that involves one type of plant, one type of herbivore, and one type of carnivore. If any of these three die, all three die.  In order for there to be survival (in the greater sense) there needs to be diversity; multiple types of plants the herbivores can eat, multiple herbivores that thrive in different conditions etc. etc.

Now, to bring this back to the round/square wheels thing - yes, as Stirling posted in the comments, the round wheels are optimal and thus the most likely solution.  However, I'm going to have to disagree with the idea of there being only one optimum solution while agreeing with it (bear with that contradiction in terms for a moment.)

It all depends on what the goals are.  To repeat the quote: "All who make wheels, make them round."  Making a round wheel is reliant, to a degree, upon the intention to make a wheel.  If the intention is different - say, locomotion instead - the results begin to vary.  I realize this seems self-evident.  Where importance comes in is in realizing when we're trying to make wheels and when we're just attempting to move from point A to point Z.  

Part trois coming.

Square Wheels

While reading one of S.M. Stirling's fantastic novels (Go! Buy! Start with Dies the Fire) I ran across a quote that jarred me with its validity.

"Those who make wheels, make them round."

Stirling places this line in the context of a religious discussion, where it is indeed apt, but upon reflection I began to see the enormity of scope it can reference.

The idea encompassed goes beyond that of unconscious similarities in the methods or results of those with the same general goal.  It makes me wonder about the finiteness - or infinity - of creation, creativity, and diversity.

Diversity is life.  One needs only look at any ecosystem to realize and understand that.  An ecosystem without diversity will not survive.  (For more on this idea, read Daniel Quinn's incredible works: Ishmael, My Ishmael, Story of B, Beyond Civilization, and The Man Who Grew Young.) 

More to follow in future edits; just throwing this idea up in a mini-post to start some wheels (square wheels?) turning.