RE: The phenomenon atheists haven't been able to explain - The Golden Ratio?
May 26, 2010 at 9:54 pm
(May 26, 2010 at 5:08 pm)Delirium Wrote: I was actually trying to figure out why the golden ratio exists. As in, a mathematical explanation as to why and how the nautilus developed into a spiral, or what biological advantage growing in helices provides for the plants, etc. I figured there had to be at least one person in an atheist forum who, at one point or another, has had the golden ratio thrown in their face during an argument. I know I have.The nautilus / golden ratio link is a well known exaggeration of truth in mathematics.
http://www.shallowsky.com/blog/science/f...tilus.html
Whilst it is true that the golden ratio can be used to draw very nice looking spirals, it is a falsehood to say that these same spirals are found in the natural world. Mathematics uses very exact and "perfect" measurements; the natural world doesn't reflect this at all. In mathematics, there are no limits to size (in either direction), whilst in the natural world, size has very specific limits.
