let there be lightA most interesting question “What is Design“, by a fellow blogger Kai Matthews has given me the inspiration to provide my view on what design is.

Just as not only philosophers think and contemplate life, or mathematicians count,  I think that not only designers design. Design is actually an inseparable part of the human condition. It is something that we all do. Some do it better, and others identify themselves as designers, but everyone on earth is a designer.  There is nothing in the world around us that we have created that is not designed (product, or process or rules or what have you):

  • We designed simple tools to kill saber-toothed tigers.
  • We designed strategies to trap those tigers.
  • We designed social hierarchy.
  • We designed alphabets to reflect language, and grammar to bring meaning to it.
  • We designed plates and cutlery and shelter and clothes and vehicles.
  • We designed the printing press, computers, the Internet and software.
  • We design experiments and laws and business processes and social programs and religions, etc…

The divine creator designed nature to function perfectly. Plants grow, animals live, and the world evolves within a very well designed set of natural rules, as does the entire universe. In the Book of Genesis God took 6 days to design everything, and then “…God created humankind in his image…” which I interpret as meaning he gave us the ability to do as he did – that is, design the world as we want it!!

I’ve often heard that what makes humans different from animals is our ability to choose. The fact that we have choice. This to me is baloney. I’ve seen dogs and cats make all kinds of choices as you have as well. They choose which lap they will sit on, they choose which meat to eat or not and whether or not they will fight one another for it. But nowhere in this world have any of us ever seen a species modify this planet as much as we have – that is the gift given to us by our divine creator.

Let’s stop squandering this divine gift and start designing a world we can all be proud of.

– Alex Vinetti