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Quantum consciousness implications of fundamental symbol patterns


Cognitive Implications in 3D of Triadic Symbols Valued in 2D (Part #5)

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Cognitive embodiment of patterns: The technicalities and possibilities of new forms of representation merit consideration in the light of arguments from the perspective of cognitive psychology of George Lakoff and Rafael Nunez (Where Mathematics Comes From: how the embodied mind brings mathematics into being, 2000) further to an earlier study (George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Philosophy in the Flesh: the embodied mind and its challenge to Western thought, 1999).

As suggested above, to the extent that a 2D symbolic pattern may be cognitively embodied as a focus of identity, any "extrusion" of that pattern to engender a form in 3D merits particular attention as a contrast to "projection" (from 3D to 2D). The transformational dynamics of such extrusion suggest that identity may be more richly associated with that dynamic rather than with a visibly static pattern in which any dynamic is only implied (if not ignored).

Constrained comprehension of the three-fold: Much has been made of the conflictual dynamics of binary relationships and the strategic difficulties of dilemmas. To the extent that it is claimed that the dynamics of the three-fold are comprehended, it can also be claimed that such "comprehension" is constrained in ways which render it inapplicable in practice -- where it could be said to be most needed. Examples are provided by:

  • Three-fold patterns of divinity: Seemingly, whatever the religion, any fundamental trinity is claimed to be comprehended by the priesthoods as explicated definitively in learned texts. Ultimately the relationship is typically held to be a "mystery" beyond ordinary comprehension, as with the Christian Trinity. However any such acknowledgement of subtlety has seemingly not informed the challenges of those religions in engaging with others.
  • Abrahamic religions: There is clearly little comprehension of the relationship between the three primary Abrahamic religions which is of relevance to reframing fruitfully the conflicts they reinforce and in which they have engaged over centuries. These are clearly fundamental to global dynamics at this time. Islam considers any trinitarian relationship to be blasphemous. The monotheism of Judaism excludes the possibility of any trinity.
  • Eternal triangle: On a personal level, experience of the "eternal triangle", which is such a challenge to the binary ideal of family life, remains beyond fruitful comprehension by those involved and affected. It is typically a source of great existential suffering and tragedy.
  • Analytical methods offer explanatory capacity which has proven to be of limited value in reframing conflictual relationships in practice. These include:

The challenge of elusive triadic comprehension can of course be depicted in that of Borromean rings with their Brunnian property, as noted above, but with limited relevance to the psycho-social domain -- despite its occasional use in depicting the Trinity. The nature of the challenge can be rendered more explicit through a triangular pattern basic to the mathematical argument of q-analysis, as developed by Ron Atkin (Multidimensional Man; can man live in 3-dimensional space?, 1981). As separately summarized (Comprehension: Social organization determined by incommunicability of insights), Atkin illustrates the challenge of comprehension in relation to experience "within" the geometry of a triangle -- especially with regard to the perspective necessary to comprehend the geometry of the triangle as a whole -- namely the trinity.

Vision-Light variant Codification of relative orders Sound-Silence variant
Atkin triangle

0-dimension:
Red, Green or Blue

1-dimension:
Yellow (=Red/Green)
Purple (=Red/Blue); or
Turquoise (=Blue/Green)

2-dimension:
White (=Red/Green/Blue)

Triadic thinking? Various approaches to triadic thinking are cited (notably clustered as Triadic Thinking by Academia.edu):

There is extensive interest in the dyamics of the "triple bond" in molecular chemistry. That understanding has also been used to frame aesthetic forms (Joseph G. Price (Ed.), The Triple Bond: plays, mainly Shakespearean in performance, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1975; Wouter Davidts, Triple Bound: Essays on Art, Architecture and the Museum, Valiz/Antennae, 2017).

Triple helix: As noted above, given the manner in which it is constituted by three interweaving Archimedean spirals, the triskelion could well be understood as a form of triple helix -- as projected into 2D. Double helix DNA 3D structures are the primary form among all life forms on this planet; triple helix DNA has been reported occasionally and for transient periods -- and is explored as a molecular structure. The geometry of the triple helix -- as a symbol -- is now closely associated with the triple helix approach.

Use of the intermolecular triple helix as an intersectoral symbol

As described by the Triple Helix Research Group of Stanford University, the Triple Helix thesis is that the potential for innovation and economic development in a knowledge society lies in a more prominent role for the university and in the hybridisation of elements from university, industry and government to generate new institutional and social formats for the production, transfer and application of knowledge. (The Triple Helix Concept; publications).

It is in this sense that the triadic thinking underlying the activities promoted by the Triple Helix Association merit particular attention, as instigated by Henry Etzkowitz (Triple Helix: a new model of innovation, 2005). This is suggested by a selection of its international conference themes and papers since 1996:

As an instititional member, the World Association of Triple Helix and Future Strategy Studies (WATEF) is a scholarly association that promotes evidence-based methodologies to analyse complex social interactions to understand social and technological change.

Despite the manner in which a form of triadic thinking is clearly emphasized, it would seem to be the case that there is little emphasis on the cognitive dimension in contrast with that on the implementation of forms of collaboration engendering innovation. The degree of reification implied by the triple helix model contrasts with the fundamental challenge suggested by the DNA-related metaphor. This is implied to a far greater degree by the triskelion as a symbol and the paradoxical cognitive dynamics with which it has been associated over millennia. However the possibility of projecting it into 3D -- as a form of triple helix -- indeed merits further consideration.

Patterns as "cognitive aerials"? From the perspective of this argument, a fundamental question is why a range of simple patterns have proven historically to be such cognitively powerful triggers -- as "powerful symbols". Why have so many cultures engaged with triadic symbols in particular over such a long period -- with the triskelion dating back to Neolithic times?

Given a degree of recognition of the function of aerial arrays, and the importance of their appropriate configuration, it could be suggested that such triadic patterns serve as a means of orienting awareness to greater subtlety. Do such patterns offer a means of "capturing" and recognizing "cognitive waves" otherwise only susceptible to intuitive recognition -- much as is appreciated in some Native American cultures in the form and function of so-called dream catchers. Might the triskelion be fruitfully understood in the light of a tripole antenna?

With respect to indication of 3D spirals, of interest is the depiction of the radiation pattern of an Archimedean spiral antenna (Isa Kocakarin and Korkut Yegin, (Glass Superstrate Nanoantennas for Infrared Energy Harvesting Applications, International Journal of Antennas and Propagation, 2013). Curiously the term "cognitive antenna" is used with respect to "cognitive radio" to describe the sequential switching of elements of an "intelligent antenna" array based on spectrum sensing.

Intuitive recognition of quark structure and dynamics? Given the very fundamental nature of a quark as an imagined ordering of matter, it could be inferred that humans have some degree of intuitive understanding of the pattern by which they are constituted. The quark is a feature of the Standard Model of Elementary Particles.

In the language of particle physicists and quantum mechanics, a proton is composed of two up quarks, one down quark, and the gluons that mediate the forces "binding" them together. The color assignment of individual quarks is arbitrary, but all three colors must be present. It is this triadic pattern which can be understood as indicative of triadic relationships in general, and especially those imagined with respect to the psycho-social system.

The image on the left is indicative of the complexity of that triadic structure as described by Wikipedia. That on the right is suggestive of the manner in which the triadic pattern functions as an "aerial" embedded in electromagnetic waves -- with the triskelion then suggestive of an orderly combination of both insights.

Imagined depictions of quarks
Quark structure Absolute Quark-Gluon Plasma model
By Arpad Horvath
(Own work,CC BY-SA 2.5, Link)
Reproduced from Wikipedia		 By Tepparat Songkraw (screen shot of video
variously depicting models by www.absolutebase.com)

A triadic pattern is a feature of discussion of quantum reality as indicated by the following:

For example, the last discusses the mathematical design of a realistic three-position quantum switch controlled by the classical electric field in the form of a circular quantum well -- a unit disc on a plane -- with four straight channels attached to it.This device implements a triple splitting of an input waveguide. Such thinking is vital to current development of quantum computing with its transcendence of the constraints of conventional binary computation, notably the use of a qutrit as a unit of quantum information that exists as a superposition of three orthogonal quantum states.

Can the three points of focus of any triadic pattern -- like the triskelion -- be fruitfully understood otherwise as "mutually orthogonal"?

From the triad to patterns of higher order? The human brain is necessarily constrained in imagining such patterns of order and communicating them credibly (Comprehension of Numbers Challenging Global Civilization, 2014; Engaging with Insight of a Higher Order: reconciling complexity and simplexity through memorable metaphor, 2014).

The quarks of three distinctive "colours" are embedded within the 4x4 matrix of the standard model of particle physics. Given the extent to which recognition of such patterning is partially governed by human cognitive capacity, rather than restricting the focus to the Standard Model of Elementary Particles, a case can be made for the more general relevance of its subtly complex insights (Beyond the Standard Model of Universal Awareness, 2010; Epistemological Panic in the face of Nonduality, 2010).

Examples of a delightful future possibility of this kind are evident in speculations such as the following:

Aspects of the argument have been developed through the confontation of alternative fundamental mappings (Metaphorical Insights from the Patterns of Academic Disciplines: learning from the Standard Model of Physics? 2012). Potentially of particular relevance is the challenge of more significant mapping of the goals collectively framed by the international community (Mapping 8 Millennium Development Goals onto the 3x3x3 surfaces of Rubik's Cube, 2017) and extending the argument to a 4x4x4 matrix of the subsequent Sustainable Development Goals (Interplay of Sustainable Development Goals through Rubik Cube Variations: engaging otherwise with what people find meaningful, 2017)

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