A Picture of Evolution
This is the Independence Amphitheater in Independence, Oregon. It’s part of an effort by the town to transform itself from a small historical town into a vibrant destination for other communities.
This spherical picture was my entry for the “Evolution” theme of the World Wide Panorama in 2024.
One meaning of “evolution” is directed change — change that has direction or purpose and is not totally random. We often think of the term as the direction of increasing complexity of biological systems that occurs as the result of natural selection. However, many different systems can evolve when they change purposefully, such as the evolution of this town.
In addition to the Riverside Park that includes the amphitheater, the downtown has been transformed into a lively area of restaurants and shops, as can be seen at the top of the stairs. The fountain sits on main street as a visual focal point for the active walkways. Buildings to the right of the amphitheater include more restaurants and new hotels that provide accommodations for people who want to explore the area beyond the town (wineries, biking, the nearby coast, etc) while using Independence as anchor.
The evolution in this case is very purposeful, unlike that occurring in nature due to natural selection. Biological evolution is generally considered to be driven by purposeless processes, yet there are still aspects of biological evolution that hint at something more.