The Passion for Order

The passion for order manifests itself in almost every sphere of human activity. Myth, philosophy, and the sciences are specialized fields in which the search for order is undertaken. In Greek mythology and philosophy order was from the outset regarded as something beautiful. That order and beauty in ancient thought were intimately linked is proved by the fact that a crucial term such as kosmos signifies order as well as beauty. In other words: kosmos is the term for beautiful order. Although mythology, philosophy, and science may seem far apart, each field, nevertheless, shares the desire for order, meaning, and a coherent conception of reality. In this sense there are some surprising links between these different spheres. The aim of this collection of articles has been to throw light on the way the passion for order transmits itself through these different spheres. Mythological images and aesthetic preferences often emerge at the boundaries of scientific theory. When the scientist is standing on the threshold of as-yet unknown territory, trying to establish a scientific theory, or maybe just to articulate his own worldview so far, he, like the storyteller and the philosopher, must surrender to speculation and imagination. It is on this battleground we set out to meet the scientists. As we shall see, such challenges appear to contain the building blocks of new theories and a new outlook on reality. When scientists share with the public their accounts of how they pursued a theory, made a discovery, or in other ways contributed to the sciences, it becomes observable that fragments of myths and aesthetic imagery are at times genuine aspects of science.