9 votes

Philosophical/cognitive works on the concept of "pattern"?

I'm interested in patterns and culture. I think it's a fascinating topic from many perspectives. Mathematically there are many tools for pattern analysis and formation, but at the same time philosophically our minds try to make things fit into patterns generally (maybe because it requires more energy to remember a whole thing than a set of rules that describe the thing). A mathematical example of cases where order arises from pure disorder (or maximum entropy) would be Ramsey theory.

I'd like to discuss the cultural influence on our pattern analysis/synthesis, but also explore a bit what is a pattern, whether everything is a pattern or nothing is a pattern, whether patterns are interesting in themselves or not, etc.

I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for readings in this area, or if anyone has an opinion on it. I know of many works regarding a single pattern (for example the different theories of linguistics, the different theories of music, the different theories of cooking... you get the idea) but I've never seen a meta-perspective on why are we so interested on patterns and whether our approach actually makes sense.

Thanks!

8 comments

  1. [2]
    onyxleopard
    Link
    You may want to look into the philosophy of aesthetics. IIRC, philosophers such as Bonaventure posited that beauty is the pattern of uniformity amongst variety (and other philosophers have...

    You may want to look into the philosophy of aesthetics. IIRC, philosophers such as Bonaventure posited that beauty is the pattern of uniformity amongst variety (and other philosophers have responded to that position). Jurgen Schmidhuber also has posited theories about beauty and compressibility of information.

    3 votes
    1. wise
      Link Parent
      Yes!! One of the works I planned to cite was Stravinsky when he talks about predictability vs. unpredictability in music etc.

      Yes!! One of the works I planned to cite was Stravinsky when he talks about predictability vs. unpredictability in music etc.

      2 votes
  2. [2]
    bbvnvlt
    Link
    Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for but Methaphors We Live By by Lakoff and Johnson is the fundamental reference on "the cultural influence on our pattern analysis/synthesis" for me...

    Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for but Methaphors We Live By by Lakoff and Johnson is the fundamental reference on "the cultural influence on our pattern analysis/synthesis" for me (although they'd say "constitution of" instead of "influence on", I think, and their view sort of refutes the view behind "maybe because it requires more energy to remember a whole thing than a set of rules that describe the thing").

    Also perhaps Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott.

    Although I'm unclear on what you mean by "Pattern". Conceptual structure, or more specifically repetitive visual shapes?

    3 votes
    1. wise
      Link Parent
      Any conceptual structure, my plan is to bring some mathematical tools that can be used for analyzing rhythms and music, then visual stuff, then text/stories, then patterns in cooking, for example,...

      Any conceptual structure, my plan is to bring some mathematical tools that can be used for analyzing rhythms and music, then visual stuff, then text/stories, then patterns in cooking, for example, migration patterns, economic patterns... A bit of everything (each attendee can focus on a particular pattern/subset of patterns). Metaphors We Live By is in my personal reading list, someone (maybe you) recommended it in another thread here in Tildes!!

      1 vote
  3. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. wise
      Link Parent
      You'd probably enjoy my workshop :P I'll let you know if it gets published somewhere eventually. I've read GEB:EGB and liked it, but should read it again. Also want to read I am a Strange Loop,...

      You'd probably enjoy my workshop :P I'll let you know if it gets published somewhere eventually. I've read GEB:EGB and liked it, but should read it again. Also want to read I am a Strange Loop, and thanks for the Hyde recommendation!!

      2 votes
  4. [3]
    DonQuixote
    Link
    There's a neat book called Symmetry by Marcus du Sautoy, which gives a rather poetic take on the concept.

    There's a neat book called Symmetry by Marcus du Sautoy, which gives a rather poetic take on the concept.

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      wise
      Link Parent
      That sounds good indeed, thanks for the recommendation! Could you expand a bit or is it one of those books that's better to read instead of be explained?

      That sounds good indeed, thanks for the recommendation! Could you expand a bit or is it one of those books that's better to read instead of be explained?

      1 vote
      1. DonQuixote
        Link Parent
        There's a pretty good sampling on amazon. Definitely look through it before you buy. I always do.

        There's a pretty good sampling on amazon. Definitely look through it before you buy. I always do.