Symbolic Origins

The words signs and symbol are derived from the Greek word "symbolon". Knowing the history associated with these words is important in understanding the concept of design and its origin in reference to humanity. In early Greek culture it was custom to break a vase or plate into pieces at the end of certain private gatherings or meetings. Each participant would then keep a fragment of the original object as evidence of their being present. The piece would later serve as proof that they participated in the assembly and was witness to the event. The pieces would be then reassembled at the beginning of the next conclave in order to prove that the person in possession of the piece participated in the first or earlier meetings. Each served as a symbol* describing and identifying the owner of the piece as sharing a common belief, experience or activity.

symbol |ˈsimbəl|

noun

a thing that represents or stands for something else, esp. a material object representing something abstract : the limousine was another symbol of his wealth and authority. See note at emblem .

• a mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g., the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation.

• a shape or sign used to represent something such as an organization, e.g., a red cross or a Star of David.

Over time many groups used and applied a wide variety of designs, i.e. images, signs and symbols, to identify themselves from others within the collective.

Symbols were a simple way to identify each person as being part of a group. Each person took possession of a distinguishable part of the "puzzle" for purposes of symbolic identification, recognition and collective unity. 
It is noteworthy to compare this original concept of design with today's understanding of holograms, fractals and the concept of a quantum interpretation of matter and a collective order.

Each fragment had a purpose. Each piece was an identifiable part of an object** that gave "form" to a concept or idea. Each fragment had a meaning. Each fragment became a symbol by virtue of its contribution to an intangible "feeling" or experience represented by the piece's contribution to the formation of a purpose greater than itself. A vase or pitcher was typically used in such situations. They served as great metaphors for the realization surrounding each group experience. 
Each piece held its own meaning and purpose (design). When reunited with other fragments they created a vessel (form/container) that can serve a greater meaning and purpose than could never be attained individually. 
** Typically this object was an artifact, an object made by a human being and separate from an object naturally produced.

Each fragment identified a participant. The fragment and the participant became one ... symbolically. Collectively the group was dependent upon everyone's contribution in bringing meaning and purpose to every meeting. Each piece was identified as an important element in the creation of a larger group, geometry or matrix. Each participant discovered their own identity and power both as an individual and as a group by means of the symbol, i.e. by means of design.

Every person could demonstrate their contribution to the collective in their own unique, intangible and symbolic way. In some circumstances the meaning and purposes describing the group needed to be protected, hidden or kept secret from others. 

When members chose to reunite they submitted their pieces in order to be reassembled. When a member of the group chose to identify themselves to another member they merely showed the piece they had in their possession. Each member was validated and identified as being a member of a certain group by virtue of owning a piece of the puzzle. By reassembling the artifact before their colleagues they confirmed and identified themselves as being part of the collective. By merely possessing the piece they confirmed that they were witness to a previous event/experience and shared the same beliefs.

It could assumed that such events were ritualistic in content, but that may not have always been the case. Many hidden, secret and/or private organizations and groups used such methods to identify their members and/or continue their heritage with the original cast. The entire phenomenon centered about the symbolism surrounding the event and the experiences that over time became synonymous with the concept of design and the design process.

What was originally considered a single form, unit, or whole by virtue of the artifact was purposely broken into an assortment of individual parts that together gave the artifact its "form". The group became whole again when reunited. Each member/part represented an idea greater than itself. Each member/part had a different meaning and/or a purpose when viewed individually or collectively. Together they gave "form" to a concept that was greater than the sum of their parts. Each element became an agent of something greater than itself. Each association within the circle became an integral part of a greater de-sign. Each element symbolized something greater when reunited within the parametric constraints of 3D space/time.

The design process is very similar. You break a situation into manageable parts solely for the purpose of reassembling them within a different context. Over time elements change yet unlike the fragments of a plate, not all changes are recognizable. Symbols deal with the known in a manner that represents the unknown by sometimes veiling and fooling the senses. (See The Mind of Hermes).

Design deals with the unknown by means of recognizing the symbolic relationship between elements, i.e. the parts that by virtue of association give relative form to a concept of wholeness or unity never before revealed. Design is sensitive to the elements and forces that remain hidden to our senses. Design consciousness allows us to transcend these thought forms. Design consciousness gives rise to greater knowledge and understanding. Design conveys the concept of spirit into the role of an observer that actively monitors the ego and all that it senses.

“Whereas signs provide a stimulus which signals something of immediate significance … a symbol may have a meaning which is entirely divorced from the here and now. We can communicate about the past as well as the future, about our immediate surroundings as well as about remote and ever abstract and imaginary things.”
Ervin Laszlo

“We have learned that the exploration of the external world by the methods of the physical sciences leads not to a concrete reality but to a shadow world of symbols, beneath which those methods are unadapted for penetrating.”
Sir Arthur Eddington

"Meta-representation is the ability to represent a representation — being able to attach an abstract concept or meaning to a separate entity — and enables humans to adapt to their environment in real-time unlike most animals who can only adapt through slow genetic change over evolutionary time. Examples are using symbolism and metaphor, which for humans are second nature and taken for granted. But verbal and written language are only possible because we can abstract the idea of a thing and assign it a name — a symbol — that can be spoken and written. The perceiver understands that the symbol refers to a thing that is not the symbol itself."  

Mitchell Diamond 

https://darwins-apple.medium.com/about 

Design awareness doesn't focus on form alone, e.g. the shard of clay or piece of bone. Nor does design merely focus on the identifiable differences between forms. Rather, design focuses upon the symbolic relationships between form and formlessness; the connections between the parts, the whole and the origin. This is design consciousness.

Edited: 11.29.2013, 04.11.2014, 11.19.2014, 04.06.2017, 04.15.2017, 11.11.2020, 01.24.2021, 11.09.2021

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