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This is something I wrote some time ago while aiming at a kind of theory of everything. As such it consists largely of definitions of fairly undefinable things. Because of this, the style is both dry and ambiguous - I was aiming at something midway between the Tao Te Ching and Wittgenstein's "Tractatus", not particularly successfully! Some of the sections have commentaries, which should make them a little clearer and more relevant. I may return to this project at a later date, so comments are welcome.
1.
There is the Pattern, and there is Awareness.
These form a unity, and neither is the creation of the other.
A part of the Pattern is also a pattern.
Recurring characteristics of the Pattern are also patterns.
We may call these patterns qualities.
Universal consistencies in the Pattern may be called laws.
The interaction of patterns form patterns.
There is no limit to the number of patterns.
There is no limit to Awareness.
Awareness of a part of the Pattern is perception.
Awareness of qualities is thought.
Awareness of perception and thought is mind.
Perception, thought and mind arise from the focussing of
awareness in complex patterns.
These patterns can be called sentient.
Limitation exists within the Pattern.
Limitations may define patterns.
Definitions may involve space, time or quality.
A pattern may also limit another pattern. This may be called
restriction.
Restriction creates tension within the Pattern.
Limitation of awareness is a function of mind.
Perception and thought are limited by the patterns which they are
aware of, and by each other.
Mind is limited by perception and thought.
The unlimited nature of awareness and the limited nature of mind
create tension.
Increasing awareness of perception and thought reduces the
limitations of mind. Dissolving the limitations of mind resolves
this tension.
All parts of the Pattern interact with all other parts.
These interactions may be strong, weak or subtle.
Strong interactions have high information exchange. They are
local in space and time.
Weak interactions have low information exchange.
Combinations of weak interactions may produce strong
interactions.
Subtle interactions are non-local. They may result from the
essential interconnectedness of the Pattern or the underlying unity
of Awareness.
Strong interactions are perceived as cause and effect.
Weak interactions are perceived as co-incidence.
Subtle interactions are perceived as synchronicity.
The Pattern can be seen as information.
The information in any pattern is that which is needed to copy
it.
Complexity is determined by the amount of information in a
pattern.
Increasing and decreasing information cause growth and decay,
creation and destruction. Their equilibrium is maintenance.
The maintenance of a pattern also requires the maintenance of
patterns within it. This involves complex patterns of control and
limitation.
Control is when change in one pattern consistently initiates change
in another.
Harmony is the growth or maintenance of a pattern with minimum
destruction of its component patterns or surrounding pattern.
Information may increase or decrease harmony.
Information which decreases harmony may be called disinformation.
Disinformation is dependent on context.
A pattern which grows or maintains itself with minimal
disinformation is functional. When this process is aware, it may be
called ethical.
A pattern which produces disinformation is to that extent
dysfunctional. When this process is aware, it may be called
unethical.
When a pattern, with awareness, maintains its surrounding pattern
at the expense of its own maintenance, this may be called
altruism.
5.
Coding is the replication of a pattern in such a way that its
salient information is contained in an analogous pattern.
Decoding reverses the process to produce a pattern which is closer
to the original pattern than to the encoded pattern.
Decoding rarely copies the original pattern entirely. There may be
loss of information, addition of information, or distortion of
information.
In this way, patterns mutate.
6.
Order and chaos are aspects of the Pattern.
When the Pattern is seen clearly, we call it "order"; when it
appears unclear, we call this "chaos". This results from the
limitations of mind.
When patterns change in predictable ways they are orderly; when
change is unpredictable, it is chaotic. This results from
complexity.
Orderly change follows the normal patterns of growth, maintenance
and decay. Chaotic change follows a multitude of patterns.
Order dissolves into chaos; chaos resolves into order.
Orderly change may produce chaotic mental patterns; chaotic change
may produce orderly mental patterns.
Catastrophic change appears chaotic, but may be predictable; mind
may superimpose order on patterns which are really chaotic.
Systems of control and limitation may cause chaotic patterns to become ordered. Imposition of order may cause increaed chaos. Appropriacy is determined by nature, timing and degree.
7.
Patterns have intrinsic tendencies. The intrinsic tendency of the Pattern can be called the Process.
Awareness of the intrinsic tendency of a pattern is will.
Awareness of the Process is probably ineffable.
Awareness of the intrinsic tendency of a sentient pattern may be called its true will. If one of its component patterns, which is at variance with the intrinsic tendency of the pattern, comes into awareness, this may be called false will.