Nevertheless, the world may change from consumerism to purely an imaginative society where design concept takes precedence over anything else. Would we even have money since they will simply be regenerated infinitely as long as you provide the raw material? Though this may be far-off in the distant future (or will never be realized) there are many oppositions in its way. The amount of information and education that is required to design, program and construct such a PF would be astronomical as Gershenfeld explains (Gershenfeld pg.5). He says that a lifetime of classes for students will not be sufficient due to the lack of hands-on experience. The most notable merit from a PF is that it brings imaginations and individuality back into our realm of expression. We will no longer be restricted to what is sold in the economy because we will be able to fabricate whatever we wished, even things that do not exist as long as you have the proper design. People will simply make things that they think is necessary, cool, or fun. This is the ultimate form of self-expression because the material being fabricated is literally your desires, interests, ideas, and taste. The classic teenage obsession of “fitting in� will most likely diminish over the years with the introduction of a PF.

Kahn touches on a similar concept of expression by relating it to architecture. His article, “Silence and Light� states that the language of man is art and it stems from something which grows out of needing, of the desire to be, to express, and the evidence of the promise of the material to do it (Kahn pg.237). I agree with this approach, since art requires no set language, and it may well be a language in its own realm. A famous painting can speak to you without ever voicing its message. Because art originates from our inner most desires of wanting to express ourselves, it touches on the deepest emotions and imaginations of humans. Feelings are universal, therefore artistic expression stemming from feelings are universal. Relating Kahn’s idea back to Gershenfeld, what is fabricated from a PF ultimately is the result of our inner desire to express ourselves. The PF will be a new realm of expression just like how architecture is a realm of expression, and so is art, music, dancing, and literature (Kahn pg.238, 247). Though the PF idea seems very mechanical and scientific, it is derived from nature: genetics. Our body functions similarly to a fabricator because our genes command the construction of certain amino acids and protein, which composes our bodily organs. The raw material used is nutrition obtained from our diet. A PF is exactly the same in function; it takes raw material and follows the guideline for constructing the desired material.

To wrap up both articles, I would like to end with the argument expressed by Kahn about light. Kahn believes light is the giver of all presences (Kahn pg.228). Without light our eyes cannot perceive any information, therefore the object in front of us does not really exist in our perception even if it may be taking up space. Shadows exist not due to the lack of light, but because of the presence of light (Kahn pg.229). Without light, no matter what we create no one will be able to see it and experience its presence; the absence of light destroys its existence. The loss of existence means the loss of our self expression. This concept places light in a new level of superiority and reminds all of us that sun light is, indeed, the creator of all life and existence from both a scientific and artistic aspect.

The latter (release of information) probably has the most impact on society. Information makes people smarter, and the more people there are the possibilities of someone extending on the knowledge or creating something new from the original thought is not unusual. This is what we call technological advancement; usually the product becomes smaller, faster, more efficient, sustainable, and replaces the older version of it. This is dangerous on the other hand because as technology becomes more public and available, the risk of misuse is greatly enhanced. Relating to Postman’s example of Thamus’ advice to Theuth, the problem is not whether the technology is good or bad, but whether the people are ready for it or not.

Throughout history we can observe the evolution of technological advancements, which suggest that technology is an order of nature. Technology follows the path that society chooses to take and is affected by society as much as it affects society. It is “natural� for manufacturers to produce a superior product that surpasses the abilities of the competitor’s because that is the only way to generate a profit in a pool of competition. It is “natural� for someone to say, “hey, I can make a much better version of that!� Everything from stereos, television, walkman, weapons, automobiles, and computers are all the result of the demand by society and its struggle for the “ultimate product� which can no longer be advanced or improved. Once a product has reached the point where improvements are impossible, we can conclude that the evolution of the product is over. Similar to natural selection, only the best and most fit products will remain in use by society.

Where do we stand in relation to the overall span of the evolution of technology? That is a difficult question to answer; personally I feel that it will never end as long as humans strive to improve on what already exists. Nature follows one path, forward. We never experience time moving backwards or water falling up. Similar to that concept of nature, once a society has been introduced to technology, retrogressing to traditional styles of living is extremely difficult. Do we ever see anyone using a payphone if they own a cell phone? The loss of interest or ambition for improvement is the only factor in my opinion that will bring a halt to technological advancements, but this cannot be accomplished unless there

An example of the logarithmic spiral on a grand scale is the hurricane, completely uneffected by man yet following the laws of nature precisely. The ultimate example are the galaxies that continue to show growth in space on a scale that is unimaginable to us, but still follow the logarithmic spiral.

So how does this relate to design? This concept is evident in our designed environment, and the most notible are the spiral stairs when viewing from above. The stairway mimics exactly the natural pattern of growth as you can see in the pictures below. The origin of the spiral (where the stairs begin) continues to grow outward in a circular-polar manner, extending its radius in accordance to the logarithmic rules. The same can be said about spiral parking ramps. Although in reality these spirals only seem to follow the lograithmic rule when viewed from above, when designing or planning a display of an overhead-view of a sprial complex, the natural lograithm comes into play.

Other similar applications can be found with logarithmic equations. The example below shows a curved hallway coming to a single vanishing point if it were to extend infinitely. As you can see from the previous examples as well, the natural number "e" and its logarithmic applications are significant in architectural design and display.

Though the buildings and the enclosed space is still present, without the karma (life energy) of the people the area loses its significance. The buildings also carry a history, and the heavy stones used for the building of these monuments are sustainable. They were built to last and to represent its rightful place on the U of M campus for centuries. I feel "at the U" more so on the mall area than I do inside any classroom building.

Environmental impact is a huge factor in this situation. Wild life that depends on the annual flooding and the flow of the river will lose their natural habitat, and hundreds of trees will be required to be taken down also. Are all these things worth losing for a dam? However, it should be noted that with the dam in place, this would create many more jobs, provide a cheaper and more efficient source of energy throughout the area, and the dam may aid in slowing down soil erosion on the river bottom. A dam will also make a good recreational area where water activities can be enjoyed. It is always crucial to listen to both sides of the story. The architect and engineers are facing a difficult decision here, but must realize that there are more negative effects than positive effects in this situation. In order for the company to build this dam they must convince the people that it is better to have the dam, but this will be a difficult opposition to overcome.

As for physical oppositions for the architect, thousands of tons of gravel, sand, rock and water must be relocated for the construction. Wild life must be relocated as well. The water continuing to rush down the river will also be an opposition that must be stopped in order for the construction to take place. Physical, as well as social oppositions, can cause a headache for architects.