The term ‘idea’ according to Plato does not mean what is typically understood by an idea – i.e. a spontaneous idea or, for example, the vision for a new project. For Plato an idea is the thought or the object ‘in itself’ – thus an archetype like ‘beauty in itself’, ‘the circle in itself’ or also ‘the chair in itself’[1]. Thereby, Plato understands the idea as something timeless and unchangeable, which exists in the world of ideas accessible only to thought. The variety of expressions of the Platonic idea is inexhaustible, since each idea can take infinitely many forms in the visible, real world – also: the sensible world[2]. If we manage to describe a Platonic idea in the form of a program, this program can, in co-creation with a designer, generate an infinite number of manifestations of the idea in our place. In the context of data-driven generative design, the term is used as a metaphor for understanding the generative process. The Platonic idea can serve as an abstract, idealized model that guides the structured and logical problem-solving approach inherent in computational thinking methods used by systemic design and programmed design approaches.
Map of relevant entites and relationships
{
“nodes”: [
{“id”: 1, “label”: “Platonic Idea”, “title”: “The central concept of non-material, eternal, and unchanging forms.”},
{“id”: 2, “label”: “Physical Manifestations”, “title”: “The ever-changing and infinite amount of forms the platonic idea can manifest as.”},
{“id”: 3, “label”: “Realm of Forms”, “title”: “The abstract realm where these perfect forms exist.”},
{“id”: 4, “label”: “Eternal”, “title”: “A characteristic of the Platonic Idea that it exists forever.”},
{“id”: 5, “label”: “Unchanging”, “title”: “The Platonic Idea doesn’t change over time.”},
{“id”: 6, “label”: “Non-material”, “title”: “The Platonic Idea is not made up of physical matter.”},
{“id”: 7, “label”: “True Reality”, “title”: “Represents the idea that the realm of forms is the true reality, as opposed to the illusory physical world.”},
{“id”: 8, “label”: “Sensible world”, “title”: “The sensible world is merely an imitation or shadow of these perfect forms.”}
],
“edges”: [
{“from”: 1, “to”: 3, “label”: “Belongs to”},
{“from”: 1, “to”: 4, “label”: “Is”},
{“from”: 1, “to”: 5, “label”: “Is”},
{“from”: 1, “to”: 6, “label”: “Is”},
{“from”: 3, “to”: 7, “label”: “Represents”},
{“from”: 2, “to”: 8, “label”: “Contains”},
{“from”: 8, “to”: 1, “label”: “Reflects”}
]
}
This map is interactive.
Hover over elements to learn more. Click-and-drag elements to move them around.
Generative design signifies a paradigm shift in design: Instead of working directly on a specific design result, generative designers take a different approach. They first deal with the idea in detail so that they can then describe and express it as a program. It is then the machine that uses this program to produce a variety of forms of the idea without the creative person having to intervene.
[1] Johannes Hirschberger: Geschichte der Philosophie. Erster Band: Altertum und Mittelalter, Freiburg 1976, p. 81.
[2] Johannes Hirschberger: Geschichte der Philosophie. Erster Band: Altertum und Mittelalter, Freiburg 1976, p. 85.
The bigger picture of designing and branding with data:
