Sensitive Chaos: The Creation of Flowing Forms in Water and Air

by Theodor Schwenk, Theodor Schwenk, Jacques-Yves Cousteau (Preface)

Why does water always take a winding course in streams and rivers? Do common principles and rhythms underlie its movement―whether in the sea, in a plant, or even in human blood? In this seminal and thought-provoking work, the laws apparent in the subtle patterns of water in movement are shown to be the same as those perceptible in the shaping of bones, muscles and a myriad of other forms in nature. Fully illustrated, Sensitive Chaos reveals the unifying forces that underlie all living things. The author observes and explains such phenomena as the flight of birds, the formation of internal organs such as the heart, eye and ear, as well as mountain ranges and river deltas, weather and space patterns, and even the formation of the human embryo. A perennial bestseller since publication, Sensitive Chaos is an essential book for anyone interested in the mysteries of life on Earth. Includes 72 black and white plates.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Science, Design, Art, Physics, Nature

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Julene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book with pictures of water dynamics. It is a recommended book on continuum movement's list and it shows what and how our bodies can move since we are comprised of water. We and water have lots in common and we forget the many naural movements, this book is a reminder and a lovely lesson.

[Levon · Rating 3 out of 5]

took me 2 years to actually get through this book lmao you really have to be in the right head space to read it but once you do you’ll be impressed by all the discoveries throughout this book

[Victoria Haf · Rating 5 out of 5]

No sé que decir de este libro además de que es el que estaba esperando que existiera sin saberlo, es corto, sencillo y con muchas ilustraciones, el prólogo de Jacques Cousteau es un preámbulo perfecto.
"El agua es vida” es una frase que no tiene todo el sentido que debería, el agua está predispuesta a fluir y vivir, es un “órgano sensible” porque todo genera un eco en el agua, hay muchas cosas de este libro que me sorprendieron y muchas respuestas que me resolvió, siento que este es de los libros que tendré que leer varias veces para entenderlo bien, un buen complemento es “Origins of the form” de Christopher Williams.

Como dice Tesla "La ciencia no es sino una perversión de sí misma a menos que tenga como objetivo final el mejoramiento de la humanidad”. La ciencia no es ajena, no es objetiva, y en este caso Schwenk nos presenta (o nos regresa) a una ciencia que no pierde su parte espiritual por querer ser exacta.

[kyle]

My favorite part of this book is extensive pictures. The text was more challenging than I anticipated, but I found if I just focused on a few pages at a time I got a lot out of it. The book is an odd mixture of science and metaphor, often vacillating between the two without warning. All in all, another text I'm sure I will periodically return to.

[Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very provocative book -- about how water (and air) moves when flowing. And then showing how this is related all sorts of other things that we usually assume are not moving, like human bones. Have you ever wondered why water makes that braid as it pours, or why so many cultures revere the spiral?

[Gregory Witt · Rating 1 out of 5]

the pictures are ok, i guess, but the overall effect makes me embarrased for the author. i was hoping for some sort of lucid philosophical writing, instead i found a pile of the most repulsive new-agey, hippie-dippey crap. absolutely no rigor whatsoever.

[Nobody · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cool book but I’m too much of an academic to get on board with the anthroposophy parts. Felt like it undercut the rest of the book to the degree where I questioned the veracity of the fluid dynamics expositions

[Grace]

I love the pictures! Someday I will sit and read about WHY water and smoke make the most beautiful spiral patterns...

[Curtis Anthony Bozif · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very odd book about factual patterns in nature.

[Jasmine Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a bit hard for me to read, not really good with physics and stuff, but there are take-aways for me from this book.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and beautifully written.