Spirals vs Cycles
Discussion
Joshua Goldstein:
"In the physical world, cycles are central to the structuring of mass/energy throughout the universe at every level; but every level also manifests noncyclical, irreversible change in time. Electromagnetic radiation, a basic form of mass/energy in the universe, contains a cyclical component (wave nature) as well as a forward or linear component (particle nature), and I find these two kinds of motion to be very basic to systems at all levels.
Doran (1971:2) writes of social change:
- "Historical continuity and change manifest themselves in two basic forms: as a cyclical repetition of events, which gives the appearance of novelty but in fact reasserts the fundamental similarity and uniformity of events; and as a long-term linear evolution or progression of events, which... represents the emergence of new ideas and problem-contexts".
My approach acknowledges the importance of both repetitive and evolutionary change. The image of a spiral embodies both types of motion cyclical and linear."