数之美之媚:波恩计算器博物馆

Beauty and Bewitchment of the Number

蒙得里安当年沉醉于色块和线条之时,他说他在这些纯粹的线条中找见了神性。“绝对和谐,绝对完美”,或许只有数才可能完成这样的理想。感性的光辉永远无法被计算,而计算的尽头竟然和美殊途同归。

When Mondrian was intoxicated in the colorful rectangles and lines,he said he found the divine nature in the pure lines since they were“absolute harmony and absolute perfect”.Perhaps,only the number can fulfill this kind of dream. Perceptual splendor can not be calculated,however,the end of the arithmetic unexpectedly leads to beauty. The origin of the western spirit is a dangerous paradox:Athens and Jerusalem. Athens is the symbol of rationality while Jerusalem is a mystery.Jesus passed by,leaving blood stain behind.The religion which can not be explained by the rationality is the undeniable reality in Jerusalem.Since Rome called the Christian as the religion of the nation,each knowledge-pursuing people have experienced a struggle between Athens and Jerusalem at the bottom of their hearts.What can we do when the precision of science doubts the religion(?) According to many people,the underlying reason is that science is far from perfect,which can not demonstrate well the religion.As a result,arithmometer was invented with a purpose to give a calculation closer to the religion.With this effort,arithmometer has developed itself step by step. It is a four-storey museum.The visitors need to walk onto the highest 4th floor first and then slowly go downward.The arithmometers are chronologically displayed.The first item on display,which is the jade abacus of China,made me burst with joy.Calculating by knotting the string is also a kind of calculation, which could be seen from a knotted string next to the abacus.On the wall of the museum,the art works of Matti Kujasolo,the Finnish artist were on display. He is a fanatic of the mathematics.The works created by him is exceptionally precise and hard-achieved.Each line is figured by a formula.Where should be the next line,and how does it run could be found out according to the formula.On the floor below,a whole wall of arithmometers are showcased, quietly tell the effort the numbers have done for the past two centuries.