THE BODY-MIND CONTINUUM: A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO FUTURE SPACESHIP DESIGN

摘要

This paper presents a new paradigm in future spaceship design. Inspired by the holistic eastern approach to life and the cosmos, it contemplates the need for engineers and designers to understand the body-mind continuum in spaceships and spacefarers, in order to take space architectural systems to a whole new realm. It philosophizes that spaceships and spacefarers are not disconnected, fragmented entities or an assortment of parts, but rather an expression of a unified, harmonious mutuality. The paper is divided into three parts. Part-I discusses the body (structure) - mind (program) continuum in spaceships. It postulates that spaceships of the future will be intelligent, interactive beings with a mind and will of their own. It discusses the various factors that will lead to the creation of spaceships that can think. It also highlights emerging architectural metaphors through case studies. Part-II builds on the body-mind continuum as it relates to spacefarers. The third and concluding part is the closing sequence. It leaves the reader with thoughts about the grand continuum.