The Geth, Legion, and Alberti.

In reading and connecting with my classmates over the interwebs, I stumbled upon something that caught my attention. Not in a good way.  The only reason I feel comfortorable calling Kristin out on this is because we're friends.  Go look at http://flamboyantcuttlefish.blogspot.com/ .  In her blog she states that Alberti is "quite pedantic and difficult to read."  No argument.  But what she goes on to say is that he is simply making a list of the building, describing the difference of lineaments and structure as this. 

Alberti states that architecture is created through lineaments (the outline or design of the details of the building) and structure (the actual construction and physicality of the building).

I disagree. 








So that I wont sound like Steve Jobs in the squabble over the entirely new Itunes icon, I'll delve a little deeper.  What I think you said was that lineaments were but mere outlines.  But lineaments can't be described so easily.  I think that to describe lineaments you would also have to describe yourself.  I'm saying this because I think that they are subjective.  To be more specific I beleive that we contextualize what exactly lineaments are.  What I think Alberti is hinting at is that the lineaments are our perceptions of the building not just formally but purposely.  Here's what makes me think that.

Since that is the case, let lineaments be the precise and correct outline, conceived in the mind, made up of lines and angles, and perfected in learned intellect and imagination.

What he's saying is that there is a distinction in architecture, between what is perceived and what simply is.
Your take on what something is would be based on your past experiences with it, your upbringing, nature, nurture, and all that jazz.  There are too many variables to name them all.  It reminds me of Mass Effect 2.  For those of you familiar with the game I'm talking about the conversations Shepard has with Legion.  Specifically the portion where legion explains that the geth (alien robot race) aren't all on the same side. He goes on to say that the difference between what side they fight on is how they build thier concensus, for them it is infalibly calculated, and for them to disagree means that they are both right but one has more information.
Its like you saying 4 is more than 3, but your friend stating 3 is more than 2. Both are equally valid, one just take one more variable into consideration.  This is why i play video games for the philosophy.  Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-cusTeK1VA

Legion says alot of really deep stuff for a robot.  If you have the time I personally listen to all of the dialogues from him.  If you listened to the vid you'll get what I'm about to say.  As architects and designers I beleive it isn't our role to  "impose concensus"  on the public based on our own valid one, but rather to build concensus by doing our homework and as Alberti said, perfecting lineaments "in learned intellect and imagination."