Notes on an Incomplete Architecture

All human-made structures are “incomplete,” according to author Michael Mehaffy – that is, they embody abstract information that necessarily leaves out essential aspects of reality. This important concept from mathematics and philosophy has new relevance for today’s human challenges, Mehaffy argues. For “incompleteness” need not be a problem – but we must understand its nature, and be prepared to work toward a “right adjustment of the process of abstraction,” in the words of philosopher Alfred North Whitehead. But if we misunderstand the nature of incompleteness, we are likely to create enormous harm to ourselves, and to our world – as indeed we are doing today. But Mehaffy's conclusion is a hopeful one: We do have the means to transition to a richer way of life, with healthier, more durable kinds of settlements. If we understand how to work with its limitations, we can learn to live with, and even thrive with, an “incomplete architecture.”