During another Editorial project I have come across a fascinating area of interest for the scientist and engineer. This is the similarity of their activity with that of the artist. While the spectrum of meanings attached to the word 'design', say, virtually demands the similarity, it is not so obvious in the context of research. Or is it? We will seek to answer this question in the further context of optical technology.
These remarks are focused around two complementary studies, those of David Bohm [1] and Agnes Arber [2], who were eminent physicist and biologist, respectively.
DB undertook original research in the ÿeld of quantum mechanics and relativity, eventually writing the book "Quantum Theory" around 1950, which started from the ideas of Niels Bohr. He sent the book to, among others, Pauli, Bohr and Einstein. Discussions with the latter, led to the mutual question "What is the nature of reality?" It took the proposal by DB of two models: the ÿrst was not received well, and the second he termed "the implicate order", which did not change the mathematics but reinterpreted it. [1, pp. 102, 103, 106]. Hence it is fairly understandable how his work extended into our current subject.
DB tried to answer the questions: "Why are scientists so interested in their work? What inspires and motivates them?" His answer, which then identiÿed the scientist with the artist, was the apprehension of "a certain oneness and totality, or wholeness, constituting a kind of harmony that is felt to be beautiful". [1, p. VIII]. For DB, however, a signiÿcant reservation had to be admitted, "for the scientist must think in terms of (my italics) abstract axiomatic concepts and instrumental data which are extremely different from the basic perceptual structure of space, light, colour, and form within which the artist works : : : : Their real unity is therefore to be apprehended only in a rather subtle way". [1, p. 36].
Here we will pause to note that the very concepts of 'space, light, colour and form' are those which concern Optics and Laser Technology. In fact, more than one of the papers in this Special Issue combine novelty of theoretical analysis, experimental technique and results of a highly visual nature. One feels that this convergence of science and art would have delighted DB, who might well have composed a further essay on the subject!
We turn from David Bohm to Agnes Arber. AA was an eminent morphologist, and throughout [2] she frequents